Writing Process

[Jonathan_Bentz]

I was just wondering what everyone's writing process is. I've recently figured out what I think is a good writing process for my first drafts.

First off, I make sure to have something to drink and snack on nearby: in tonight's case, its a bag of peanut M&Ms and a glass of MD mixed with Evan Williams whiskey (a little bit at the bottom of the glass, just enough to loosen up a bit).

Then, I start writing. For a first draft, I put just enough action in to know where the story is going, but I mainly concentrate on dialogue, which as many of you know is my weak point. After the first draft is finished and I've found the dialogue suitable, then I intend to start on implementing more of the action elements. Trying to find a good horror script to read can sometimes be a pain, though, since the main ones you hear about (Nightmare, Halloween, Friday) aren't readily available on IMSDB. Most of the ones in those franchises that are available are the less-than-good sequels that went from being horror to being comedic horror.

Bout the only ones I can find (so far) for a decent slasher style with an intelligent psycho are the Scream films and Cherry Falls. Any script suggestions would be appreciated.

So, how does everyone else conduct their writing process? Or does it just depend on the scenario?

[Cyfress]

Re: Writing Process

I look at it like this...

Let's say a screenplay = a timeline with 60 hash tags on it. One hash tag per scene. When you start early drafts you are only gonna have a few hash tags. That means there is gonna be alot of: exposition, disjointed subplots, wandering narrative, cluttered dialogue.

But you pushed through and made it to the end, and along the way you actually discovered a few more hash tags you know you need for your timeline.

Time to start the first revision. This time with a half dozen hash tags. Same thing; where you need to bridge storytelling do so. Meaning, use exposition to get the point you need made to get made so you can continue forward.

2nd revision: Now you might have 15 hash tags or more. And in this revision you start looking at things differently. You've done two page one scriptings now. You've uncovered what subplots need to really mean to the storyline. Motivations are more apparent. You start to look at things metaphoric and see avenues for symbolism in the narrative. Stuff that could never come out during a first draft. By the end of this revision the script should read at a totally different level than the first draft.

3rd Revision: You have more than half of the hash tags now, the rest of the scenes you are still flexible on in regards to 'Do they do their job' or 'What job do I need them to do'. By the end of this revision, you probably have most of the timeline in place. Now it's just a matter of sequence and delivery which is....

Fourth Revision: Go into each scene and treat it like its own little story. Find the 'beat' in every scene. The beat is the turning point of the scene. Find this moment, if it is not really there write one in. Once you know the beat, rewrite the opnening to the scene to be the perfect lead up, and rewrite the ending to be the opposite of what the reader thought was going to happen. Do that for every scene. And the 'beat' of a scene does not have to take place in dialogue, it can be in the narrative.

By the end of this revision, you have something that is ready for feedback. There will be at least one more revision after you receive, hopefully, at least four sets of notes.

[Knaight]

Re: Writing Process

I think I vaguely remember having a writing process.

Now that I have a two year-old (and another one due in April), my writing process consists of whatever 10-15 minute increments I can squeeze into my day. Hoping I'll have a shot to go full-time with my writing this year, which would be life-changing.

[60WordsPerHour]

Re: Writing Process

I think I vaguely remember having a writing process.

Now that I have a two year-old (and another one due in April), my writing process consists of whatever 10-15 minute increments I can squeeze into my day. Hoping I'll have a shot to go full-time with my writing this year, which would be life-changing.

As another on-the-sider, do you find yourself sneaking in through-the-day moonlighting on a project, even if it's just a bit of a meditation on it or jotting down a couple of notes?

Or do you set it aside completely until you can devote full attention?

[Bairn_Writer]

Re: Writing Process

I think I vaguely remember having a writing process.

Now that I have a two year-old (and another one due in April), my writing process consists of whatever 10-15 minute increments I can squeeze into my day. Hoping I'll have a shot to go full-time with my writing this year, which would be life-changing.

You get her (him) down for a nap, get final draft open, type that first sentence, then you hear the cry and its another day with no progress.

I try to plan out every scene in advance so that when I am writing I know exactly what I need to accomplish, try and make it more efficient.

[Knaight]

Re: Writing Process

Here are the strategies I've employed to get a good chunk of writing in during a week:

* I write on every lunch break possible. Those half-hours (that I sometimes stretch into 40 minutes...) add up.
* I carry a notebook with me pretty much everywhere. It doesn't get used as often as I'd like, but I do find that I take it out pretty often at the end of a commute to work, when I've had twenty minutes to mull something over.
* Sometimes I'll drop my son off at daycare an hour or so early so I can get in some time at a coffee shop.
* I used to get up super early (4:30) to write, but my son has suddenly become a light sleeper, so that doesn't seem to make a huge difference. Still trying to find a way to make up for this recently-lost time.
* When I need to turn something in, I regularly pull lots of all-nighters and pay for it later.
* I take what time I can after my son's in bed, but try to do so without shirking too many of my household responsibilities or neglecting to spend enough time with my wife.

It's tough. It's a grind. You make it work.