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John, if only they knew!

What is clear is how we all work differently. For me, one word would be a stretch.  You keep all your notes. Funny, once I get the article typewritten and start editing, I keep throwing away the last edition, until I have the final version.  He'll either be thinking that you do have a disjointed mind or that you're a genius.

posted by word.smith on July 9, 2005 at 9:19 AM | link to this | reply

Jack, I must have been in your comments section

while you were in mine.   I'd bet that people think writers are self-absorbed. It is easy to get wrapped up in writing, to the exclusion, not to mention detriment of everything else. For blogs, I write based on whatever has inspired me. If I try to force what is not there, it comes out all stilted. I do edit - way too much. 

I'd say I write everything based on inspiration. Once the idea for an article or story comes, if I can't write it right away, I'll make jottings. Otherwise, I write in one go and then do the editing afterwards.

 

posted by word.smith on July 9, 2005 at 9:15 AM | link to this | reply

here goes-

I wake up, sign in, smoke a cigarette, drink an energy drink and hit the keys...quick and passionately stopping only out of distraction coming from my own self inside my own head, but then myself pulls me back into "that" world where everything has the capability to be fascinating and I play a part in that-possibly egotistical I know. I do not edit, try to avoid rereading, when I stop longer for nine seconds I posts the post and honestly hope I don't come across stupid. You're groovy-what do you do?

posted by jackkerouac on July 9, 2005 at 9:03 AM | link to this | reply

word

I start my writing from one word, or event.  I try to write enough of the event down so that I will remember the rest of it later.  When I get home I transfer the notes to an 'Articles to be written' folder on the PC.   It can take me days to write an article.

I don't know if I told you before, but a relation of mine who was a lecturer, had a friend who was going to start lecturing on creative writing.  He had never done anything like it before so my relation phoned me and asked me to send a few articles from beginning to the finished published product.  So I clipped together the first word I had noted down, then the first attempt, then the next attempt and so on.   He was astounded that a polished article started in such a disjointed way.  I told him I had a disjointed mind.

posted by johnmacnab on July 9, 2005 at 6:52 AM | link to this | reply

NCWriter,

I hadn't even thought about stories that pour themselves out versus the ones that take a lot more work. Usually mine are so short that the whole tale tells itself to me all at once.  Thanks for sharing.

posted by word.smith on July 6, 2005 at 3:21 PM | link to this | reply

AJ. Thanks for sharing

that info. I realize that our writing process differs according to where we're writing. At Blogit, pretty much anything goes, but I also try to edit at least once before posting here.

posted by word.smith on July 6, 2005 at 3:19 PM | link to this | reply

Word,

I used to be able to write with pen and paper, but I found that my thoughts were coming too fast for my hand to keep up with. Now I use the computer. I can type a hell of alot faster than I can write. My short story ideas usually come to me at once. I get them down as fast as I can, then I let them sit for a bit. A few days, a week. Then I go back with fresh eyes and edit. I don't edit all that much. It's more like ironing out. I find the stories that come all in one shot come out pretty solid. It's the ones I force that usually take much more editing. Good questions!

posted by NCwriter on July 6, 2005 at 5:57 AM | link to this | reply

It All Depends...

...on other factors, such as how long the piece is, how intense it is, how many places I need to go to in order to copy and paste links into it (when writing online), and so on and so forth.

Right now, I have a book in the works, and I'm writing it (adding to it) as I find time.

The things I write here are generally those where I simply let it flow--though I do try to edit it carefully before actually posting it.

And, as you know, I very often grab other things I want people to read that goes along with whatever it is that I'm saying.

This adds more time to crafting the piece, as I also need to put it on the html setting and add target="blank" to each link so that the place I'm taking you will materialize without your losing your place re: what you're reading from me.

Hope this helps you with your research!

Warm Fuzzies--
AJ

posted by Ainsley_Jo_Phillips on July 6, 2005 at 5:04 AM | link to this | reply

Sassy, you sound very focused on the task at hand.

Wish I'd stop with the editing though.

posted by word.smith on July 5, 2005 at 8:17 PM | link to this | reply

When something comes to mind

I finish it up in one sitting no matter how many hours it takes. I usually edit once, go back over it, and then do a final edit.

posted by Sherri_G on July 5, 2005 at 8:06 PM | link to this | reply

Anna, that's the way I write too.

Only lately have I tried writing straight into Word. Lost (the story) is the first time I've done a whole story on the computer. When I write by hand, my thoughts seem to flow more.

posted by word.smith on July 5, 2005 at 2:33 PM | link to this | reply

I got it from TooeleWriterGal's page,

which I think she's now taken down. One of these days, I must ask one of these guys around here who obviously have the knowledge, how it's done. I can only fiddle around with the templates a little bit. Don't want to create any disasters. Eventually changed it because it became too wide to read. Dunno what I did.

posted by word.smith on July 5, 2005 at 2:30 PM | link to this | reply

Thanks Symphony!

posted by word.smith on July 5, 2005 at 2:28 PM | link to this | reply

Wow, L.E.

That is what you call a system and that, I guess, is what makes the difference between amateurs and professionals. : ) Thanks for sharing this information.

posted by word.smith on July 5, 2005 at 2:27 PM | link to this | reply

Meringue,

Nice to see you again. Writing can be like a compulsion, eh? A sense of relief only comes once the words have been gotten out our systems. This is the stuff I'm talking about, how we all do things differently, because I can't think what it would be like to rewrite something years after the fact. Maybe when I've been writing for a longer period, but not for now.

posted by word.smith on July 5, 2005 at 2:24 PM | link to this | reply

Thanks for sharing Argus.

Usually I get it done in one go. Then comes the merry-go-round with the editing.

 

posted by word.smith on July 5, 2005 at 2:18 PM | link to this | reply

Word...

Most of my writing just kinda flows onto the paper from within. My thoughts come faster than my hand can write them. Then, when it's all said and done I go back and edit. My best work is what I write by hand...just pen and paper...

posted by SincerityAnna on July 5, 2005 at 9:58 AM | link to this | reply

good questions

and I love your new template

posted by _Symphony_ on July 5, 2005 at 4:26 AM | link to this | reply

non-fiction:

start with a general overview,usually in a mindmap format. Add to it as new ideas that fit the overview crop up - takes anywhere from 10 minutes to three months, depending on the length I need.

Actual writing: for a short piece (a small mindmap) as little as 30 minutes (300 to 500 words), but 2000-2500 words in about 3 hours (usually in one session). All goes into a "structure" - have about six basic structures that I use regularly, with another 10 or so that get used occasionally. Book form takes a number of days.

Editing:  done in bits and pieces. Take about as long as writing the piece. (1) does it fit selected structure (reading time only)? No - gets "scrapped" or total re-write. Yes, then (2) get rid of stylistics that just happened (about 1/3 of the main write time). Recheck (1) and then (3) reduce extra words (about 1/3 of main write time). Recheck (1) and (4) Get wife to read and comment - not usually necessary, but sometimes she catches things I missed (sometimes it does result in being scrapped). back to (1) and shart sharpening the prose or metre (the last 1/3 of main writing time). 

Finishing: format (headings, etc.), spell check, grammar check, fog index check, word count and print. Then submit to whereever.

Works for all forms of copy - articles, books, ghostwriting, etc.

Blogit stuff usually stopped at (2) in the editing process.

fiction/poetry:

Can't describe method for these - they're ready when they get the suspension of disbelief needed. 

 

posted by L.E.Gant on July 4, 2005 at 9:37 PM | link to this | reply

to me ,it is like something that prods me from inside till I write it....

starts with a vague sense of unease,but only relieves itself once I have written it down....sometimes it has been even exorcised in a letter to my dad!Once it is out, cant be rewritten,unless it is years later,so I usually try to put it down somewhere decent,like my blog!

posted by Meringue on July 4, 2005 at 9:35 PM | link to this | reply

word, I don't do 'stories' as in fiction, but

My articles generally come in bits, not all at once. I usually edit 2 or 3 times.

posted by ARGUS on July 4, 2005 at 7:42 PM | link to this | reply

Forcing the flow of creativity

is one sure way to cause it to come to a screeching halt.

posted by word.smith on July 4, 2005 at 6:29 PM | link to this | reply

Mmm-w, I hope you eventually

put all those notes in one place to get things started.

posted by word.smith on July 4, 2005 at 6:23 PM | link to this | reply

Dr. Bob,

Your method sounds very organized. Would that I were that organized.

posted by word.smith on July 4, 2005 at 6:22 PM | link to this | reply

Since most of my writing consists

of fairly short pieces, when I sit down to write it it's a let it flow thing. Then I will spend quite a bit of time editing. Before I can even write something I usually will spend some time looking for that inspirational spark, that one little thing that starts the flow of thoughts from mind to fingers. I try not to pressure myself with the thought of deadlines, so that my mind is open to anything that might trigger that spark. I don't like my writing to feel forced, this is when I don't do my best. Blogit is an example, when I started to feel compelled to post to my blogs every day, if I had anything to write about or not, I decided that ir was time to change the way I was blogging.

posted by Moondawg on July 4, 2005 at 5:44 PM | link to this | reply

well....

a million hand to paper written notes, thinking/dreaming it out, taking notes. depending on the story depends on the amount of time..... each story is so uniquely different because each set of characters has a different story to tell... some are more urgent while others are patient....

posted by mmm-w on July 4, 2005 at 4:59 PM | link to this | reply

Greetings From Dr Bob

Just passing through on my reading rounds. When I was crafting stories back in the day , I would use a story board and keep the plot and the characters in front of me. Once I hade the participants and the direction of travle locked in , the construction of a story line became like a fill in the blanks type exercise for me. In some arae instance after having an impacting experience with someone or something , I was able to just sit down and go at it and produce something of interest but that didnt happen to often. Have a good evening

posted by Dr-Bob on July 4, 2005 at 4:29 PM | link to this | reply