Your Writing Process, And/Or Problems with Same Options

[treydog]

As we seem to have achieved a "critical mass" of writers here, I thought I would begin a thread regarding how it is we do this thing called "writing." The idea of this discussion is to maybe help each other with the creative process and also talk about how we deal with "writer's block."

Here is my process- please note that I do not believe that everyone (or anyone else has to write this way. It is simply what works for me.

Before I ever wrote the first word of Trey, I had made up my mind as to who he was, how he felt about certain things, what his "values" were. He dislikes Imperials and the Empire, hates slavery, isn't very good with authority figures, is perfectly willing to steal (although not from the poor or weak), etc.

I keep a spiral notebook in which I write dialogue, scenes, etc. in longhand. Even though I have been using a computer for (mumble-mumble) years, the act of actually writing in pen and on paper helps me connect with the material. Although I try to maintain a certain flow (chronological in the case of Trey), I have learned from bitter experience to write down EVERYTHING right when I think of it, even if it won't show up in the story until much later. To assist with finding those orphan ideas, I use different colored pens and assign them numbers. Then, when it is time, I just make a note to myself, thus "Insert 15." I usually do not write every word that appears in the final, just as much as I need to get going. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less.

Because I am doing a straight MQ story, I depend heavily on the Construction Set to get the in-game dialogue right. On the other hand, I consider how Trey will react to certain characters and situations and "create" conversations are needed if things are to make sense

Once I have enough (usually 3-6 pages) manuscript, I go to Word and begin turning my scribbling into real story. A lot of composing and creating takes place at the keyboard. The manuscript may simply say "Temple Informant." I will take actual dialogue, plus maybe some additional conversation to show the interaction between Trey and the NPC and develop the scene. A quick spell check (Word hates ES names), and I am ready for the next step.

The most important part of the process is the read-through. This is the place where I read the installment out loud to the talented and patient Mrs. Treydog. The purpose of this is to ensure that the writing "flows." If something I am reading "clunks" when read out loud, it needs to be fixed. I also find typos or missing words during the read-through. Additionally, Mrs. Treydog may ask questions or provide other suggestions.

Example- in the scene with Delitian she asked me, "How does the captain know who Trey is?"

So I wrote in the "I am Trey of High Rock" bit. Interestingly, the "... I've heard the name" response is already in-game.

Once I have fixed whatever did not work on read-through, I post the installment.

If this thread survives, I will talk later about dealing with writer's block.

Edited to fix typo and to add:

One of the hardest things for some writers to do is to decide when is "it" finished. The read-through also helps with that question. Bottom line- you have to let it go sometime. If you polish the story long enough, you will be left with nothing- particularly not the enjoyment.

This post has been edited by treydog: Mar 17 2006, 04:41 PM

[canis216]

I'm posting this to sort of show how I'm struggling through a bit o' writer's block. The following is writing/idea regurgitation for an essay I'm doing to meet a requirement for picking up my Master's degree. It takes the form of the travel or "on the road" essay, but also I think serves as a sort of meditation upon the big spaces and big changes going on in the Rocky Mountain region, big sky country. It centers around a trip from Lander, Wyoming to Missoula, Montana on 4th of July weekend, 2008. Comments/questions/suggestions are encouraged.

* * *

Road weary and bleary-eyed I pull off of the state highway at a rest stop somewhere west of Rexburg, in the high sagebrush desert. I park in the dimmest spot I can find, force the driver’s seat into a reclining position, and pull out my sleeping bag, greasy with sweat and farts and near non-stop use. It is 1 A.M. and I have been up for 18 hours—going through some kind of hell just to make Fourth of July in Missoula.

Friday of Fourth of July weekend and I’m aching to get the hell out of Wyoming, to be anywhere but stuck on the roadside an hour outside of Lander, on the wrong side of South Pass. A problem with the fuel pump, and then some, on the U.S. government Chevy Suburban that my co-workers and I have started to call the Death Trap. We have places to go,


I can’t sit still

Chronology:

Get back to [insert bad word ending in -ing] Lander (finally):
broken speedometer on the tow truck
baby on board
stuck on South Pass
Share soda with Michael

The way out in Wyoming:
Wind River Indian reservation
Ft. Washakie – Native American Art dealer, “Ancient Ways”
Crowheart and its gas station
Mountains on my left, Gannett, Wolverine
Along the Wind River
Dubois
Togwotee Pass – emerge from the shell of metal and plastic, piss
Highway 26
Moran Junction and through Teton National Park
Moose and elk throwing themselves in front of my car
Jackson- want to see people through something other than my windshield
Stop at Wendy’s
Filled with self-doubt

Out from Jackson and over the pass:
Crossing the Snake but can’t see a damn thing
Up and over the pass, only headlights and signs telling me to slow down
Taking note of campgrounds on the way (Expand to discuss my extra-legal camping habits?)

Idaho:
Victor- stop and get gas @ $4.20 gallon. Lucky I get 30 mpg. Across the street from the Emporium w/its malt shop
Driggs- big damn houses, trail work in the mountains w/”THC Tuesday”? Probably leave out the THC, doesn’t add up to much
Series of small towns I don’t know well, on to skirting Rexburg, missing Idaho Falls entirely (thankfully)
Stop for sleep somewhere short of Mud Lake

This post has been edited by canis216: Nov 17 2008, 12:02 AM