The Writing Process (15 Things You Need to Know About Writing)

The Writing Process (15 Things You Need to Know About Writing)

Posted by T.S.Garp

Learn about the writing process and 15 key steps to becoming a more diligent and successful writer. Whether you are starting out as a freelancer or blogger these helpful tips and habits can help you become a better writer.

Quick-start writing sites have sprung up all over the Internet and do deliver exposure to new and old writers alike, but some sites push writers to write more than they are capable of. It is true that the more content you have, the more readership and follower you have, the more income you can make, but some Internet writing sites try to mass produce as much product from the writers they get. The writing process should never be as if you’re stuck on an assembly line, pushing out nameless articles and bits of writing with very little interest involved. Where is the line drawn? Be mindful of Internet Writing sites that want to milk you for all your writing talent that you have.

It is true that in the real-world writing, serious journalistic articles, and writing for newspapers all have deadlines and rules to get the information to the masses as quickly as possible. But times have changed, and we are now living in the information society, conducting business, receiving news, expanding our community, sharing information, connecting our lives more than ever on the World Wide Web. Legitimate freelance writing jobs are everywhere and so are scams. Deadlines and assignments should be completed on time as long as it is legitimate gig and it is worth it.

The writing process for a writer should be enjoyable and not a tedious, forceful effort. When writing becomes stale, mundane, and forced it isn’t a happy situation. All writers have a certain speed in which they are able to write. I personally do my best writing at night, even at midnight, where suddenly I get a burst of energy and ideas that flow much better than they do in the morning. A good imaginative writer can pull themselves together on a short moment’s notice and write something tangible for the reader to enjoy. Some of the best writing happens when you’re “on” and can occur at the oddest times. Be mindful of your mood and feelings as this can play a part in how your writing is expressed. Don’t forget the details, the facts, and the reason why you’re writing in the first place. Make sure it’s enjoyable for the most part.

Prolific writers like Stephen King are very successful in that they’re able to write several books in one year, every year, and not just a casual book, but bestsellers. Nobody becomes a Pulitzer Prize winner overnight. Some writers keep a journal and start by merely wanting to put down their thoughts on paper. Is a very good idea and could be a great start for a writer to begin by expressing themselves about their daily activities and thoughts. This personal diary can easily manifest itself into a book version of their memoirs later in life. Indeed, with today’s technology with e-books and your greatly accumulating writing efforts such as articles, manuscript, screenplays, ideas, and poetry, all have a place to be published either electronically or old-fashioned book publishing.

Another good point is writers need to stick together. Association with other writers can be a great asset and having mentors to help guide you through all the hurdles yet to come. Making friends with other writers can be important collaborative partnership and lifetime friends can easily be made. But be courteous, polite, and open-minded. Don’t force yourself on another writer, be friendly and open to ideas. Because nobody understands a writer better than another writer. The writing life can be an extremely lonely one. You’re sitting in a small room with your pen and paper or in front of your computer and keyboard, trying to hammer out some writing expression that must come out before the end of time or before the hour strikes again. Finding writing support groups, and befriending other writers can greatly motivate and inspire you to write the best you can and as often as you can.

All writers have unique writing styles and habits. Famous writer Kurt Vonnegut had a unique writing style frequently mixing personal experiences, political satire, and science fiction. Some writers do extremely well under pressure while others do not. But most importantly, writers need to be focused with their ideas and their approach on the subject or story that they plan to undertake to completion. Especially new writers need to learn about structure, pacing, flowing, and discover what methods and approach best work for them. Most highly, enjoy the writing that you are doing, and do it well to the best of your knowledge. All writers can stand for room for improvement, and they get that each and every time they write something new every single day and every single moment of their lives.

15 things you need to know about writing:

1. Find your own voice and style.

2. Write about what you know and have an interest in.

3. Don’t be afraid to do the research on a subject you do not know.

4. Make the subject you are writing about interesting and new.

5. Write in an environment you feel comfortable in like at home or a coffee shop.

6. Determine your most favorable time of the day to write, morning, noon, or night.

7. Avoid distractions. Pick an area to write, that is beneficial to your writing process.

8. Have a plan and a general idea of what you’re going to write about. An outline.

9. Try to work at a pace that you’re suited for, take small steps, and gradually work your way up to speed. Written articles and manuscripts that looked hastily put together tend to look rushed and often get rejected.

10. Screenplays and book manuscripts often get rewritten several times, as suggested by producers, editors or publishers who want the best quality of work, and doing a rewrite is standard practice. Some articles can be done in one sweep, while other articles might take longer and should be rewritten or edited for structure, spelling, and grammar errors.

11. Be diligent and persistent with your writing.

12. Find a mentor or writing social group for support and ideas.

13. Be observant of other writers that are already successful and learn from them.

14. Write more than you need. Have plenty of detail and know that you can leave some out in the course of editing.

15. Keep your passion alive and go for it! Have confidence in yourself and believe in yourself.

The Writing Process: A Concise Rhetoric, Reader, and Handbook (10th Edition)
Writing With Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process
Writing Worth Reading: The Critical Process
From Where You Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction


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