BrightSide asked me about my writing process last week.  I guess he was curious to know how things got from point A to point B in this whole blog concept.

Writing is a funny thing.

I’ve never met two people who go about it the same way.  Like those Harry Potter books.  I’m completely fascinated with how Rowling’s process allowed her to interweave details and storylines through seven books.  I’ve seen a few things out there about it — one is a mind map of chapters from the 5th book and it includes each chapter’s plot as well as tracks various subplots and characters. (You can check it out here.)  If you’ve read the series then you can see why this kind of system would be critical; you’d never be able to keep it all straight otherwise.

Still, when BS asked about my own process I found myself stammering a bit.  I’m not a mind map, outline kind of girl…but exactly how does one explain how they write?

My writing is pretty free form.  I keep a running list of blog ideas on my phone, but sometimes I’ll open up the laptop and something completely different grabs me that day.  At any rate, I have an inspiration and know where I think I want to go with it, and then I simply start writing and (if I’m not interrupted — ha!) I don’t stop until I’m done.

My process probably isn’t the most efficient seeing as it takes a lot of revisions.  Since I start my topic and then let the words fly onto the paper (or screen), the editing process can include a lot of changes.  I’ll have to excise tangents that don’t belong with the topic, extra phrases that disrupt the flow, even single words that catch oddly when you read through them the 3rd (or 10th or 20th) time. He was surprised to learn that I’ll reread and edit a post at least a dozen times before I’m happy with it, and even then after it publishes I’ll still usually spot something I should have changed.

So I told BrightSide all of this.  He took it all in, kind of blinked at me, then said, “So you really can’t teach someone how you write.”  And he’s right.  With the way I write there’s no actual process to teach (other than the editing) — saying “brainstorm a topic, open your laptop, and start writing” doesn’t give somebody a whole lot of guidance.

A lot of the kids’ assignments right now have to do with expository writing, so guiding them through that process is pretty simple.  But creative writing?  I have to work harder once we get into graphic organizers, bubble brainstorming, or mind maps.  Elementary level topics fit neatly into those systems, but I’ve always had difficulty applying them to my own writing style.

I spent several summers in college working and taking classes.  One year a drama teacher sponsored my independent study project for class credit, and I opted to write a play.  This was right up my alley; my previous writing experience had been primarily poetry, journaling, and plays so I was really excited.  Until I met with my advisor and discussed the requirements.

He wanted me to outline the arc of the play’s timeline and plot.  I also needed to brainstorm and develop descriptions for each character, giving their background information as well as motivation for their actions in the play.  After I’d fleshed all that out, then I could begin writing.

It was torture.  An excruciating process that forced me to work against every instinct I had.  The story was in my head; all I wanted to do was get it out so I could start shaping it into something great. Instead, I sat starting at a spiral bound notebook, trying to force my brain to work backward so I could meet this professor’s requirements and earn the class credit.

I still have that notebook with my (somewhat pitiful) attempts to structure a storyline with timelines and cross-references and character development notes.

Can you guess how far I got on that play?  Next to nowhere.

I couldn’t create the way he wanted me to, and the project demands wouldn’t allow me to create in my own way.  So I ended up with a notebook of stilted, forced notes and a few scenes that also sounded (not surprisingly) pretty stilted and forced.

I kept the notebook because I remember being excited about the play’s concept and actually wanting to write it.  All that was gone once the session ended, though.  Forcing the ideas into graphs and boxes took all the life right out of them.

It was useless to me that summer, but I can’t seem to throw the notebook away.  I keep hoping one day I’ll pick it up and my idea will sing to me again.