How do you write?

[Caged Maiden]

I have ten novels written on paper. They take up one shelf on my tall bookshelf. The last one is typed only. I'm not sure which I prefer. I'd say hands down, the hand-written, but all my editing needs to be on the computer, so I may move that direction from now on.

Silence. I hate writing with people around, music on, TV... distractions are just really... DISTRACTING to me. I can't write two sentences when my husband is watching the Office. I try and try, but I just... keep... watching... and laughing because it's too good to ignore. So yeah.. most of my intense writing gets done between 10am and 3pm of after midnight.

 

[Penpilot]

In Scrivener I've been experimenting with keeping all drafts in a single project. As I re-work, I'll make a new folder with a new draft number, then copy in either entire chapters or segments from the previous draft, on the theory that it may be useful to be able to go back to some earlier scene. It's been marginally useful so far, but I'd be interested to hear how others have struggled with proceeding from Draft 1 to Draft 17 (or Draft 85!) to Draft-Ready-to-Submit-to-Agent, just at a purely practical level.

For me I use Scrivener's snapshot function. Once I'm finished a draft, I go through my scenes and make a version which I name Draft X, X being the completed draft number. When I make smaller changes I take snapshots of the scene but don't name them. This lets me know that those versions of the scene belong to the draft above. I can look at and revert to any of the previous versions if I want. The list of snapshots looks like this.

Title
---------------
Draft-01
no name -this is a sub version of Draft 1
no name -this is a sub version of Draft 1
Draft-02

 

[Bansidhe]

In Scrivener I've been experimenting with keeping all drafts in a single project. As I re-work, I'll make a new folder with a new draft number, then copy in either entire chapters or segments from the previous draft, on the theory that it may be useful to be able to go back to some earlier scene. It's been marginally useful so far, but I'd be interested to hear how others have struggled with proceeding from Draft 1 to Draft 17 (or Draft 85!) to Draft-Ready-to-Submit-to-Agent, just at a purely practical level.

Hi, Skip. I use Scrivener as well, and Evernote. Here's my processing for submitting to my editor:

My first "draft" is what I call my discovery draft. I get everything out into a spiral notebook--characterization, plotting, outlines, key scene work, beat sheets, world-building. This helps me "mind dump" everything onto the page instead of holding it in reserve or trying to remember that keen bit of dialogue later. My second draft is my "meditation" draft when I put everything into my laptop, fast-drafting my way to The End. My final draft is when I go back to deepen my key scenes, searching for resonance or fixing anything that appears to be "off".

Once I get the story structure and components exactly the way I want it, I put it away for a little while, to gain perspective. Then I do at least three revision passes--one for overall content, one for line edits, and a final polish for mechanics. Then it's off to BETA readers, and when the story comes back I address any consistent issues or questions mentioned in feedback, and give the whole a final polish before submitting to Editor Awesome. While the story is in BETA I write me query/cover blurb and 2-3 page synopsis as required by my publisher.

I hope this helps!

 

[Clarence Matthews]

I see scrivener mentioned a lot. Is it worth the investment? As my writing gets longer I find word is getting tedious to revise and edit longer works.

 

[Bansidhe]

I see scrivener mentioned a lot. Is it worth the investment? As my writing gets longer I find word is getting tedious to revise and edit longer works.

Oh my word, YES. At least, like many others, I find it so. I love the corkboard feature, and the ability to make my own templates, and the auto-backup. I love keeping all my research and reference material in one convenient spot. Scrivener keeps everything tracked and organized and NEAT.

 

[buyjupiter]

I tend to brainstorm/note take on paper and revise on paper. Writing, however, has to take place on a computer as I write pretty fast and handwriting is too slow. My blank books are full of starts to stories, that once I got going and knew what I was doing got transferred to the PC. They're also full of random notes and plot outlines and character development. (I use a ton of blank books.)

I'm one of the few who don't like the scene development software and novel writing software in general. I tend to do all of the brainstorming and scene planning visually, so it might be that by the time I get to writing things I already have done everything that Scrivener and the like are especially designed to help out with.

I write using open office, sticky notes, and my brainstorming notes (electronic or paper). Sometimes, if I'm particularly ADD, I'll pull up the freebie versions of Write or Die and slam out a few hundred words that way. (I've found that the one that gives pictures of kittens as motivation, is especially motivating.)

It's taken me a while to settle into this routine, because I keep trying to use dictation software to help out with when I'm doing something like driving or dusting and I can't physically type. However, every piece of software that I've tried ends up taking my Southern accent and twisting what I say into places I didn't know existed and/or references to drug use. Funnily enough, the dictation software correctly transcribes my notes 90% of the time if I make them in broken French.

 

[Penpilot]

I see scrivener mentioned a lot. Is it worth the investment? As my writing gets longer I find word is getting tedious to revise and edit longer works.

Yes. Scrivener replace three programs I used to use, Word, yWriter, Supernote Card. If you're not sure on the purchase, you can try before you buy. If memory serves, you can download it and have the fully functioning program for 30 days of usage. Those 30 days can be spread out over a period of time like a year. Or I heard someone say that if you never turn off Scrivener, you can use it forever... but don't do that. It's an awesome program. Support it.

 

[AnomanderRake]

I like to write on my laptop. However, for random idea generation or notes, i jot them down on a paper.

 

[Bruce McKnight]

I write on my laptop. It's convenient and I can pull it up pretty much everywhere. I use Word and my process is a big mess where I write from the top down and just add random notes and ideas at the bottom in quasi-chronological order until I get to them and either integrate or discard. If I get a new story idea, I just start a new file and drop whatever notes, thoughts, or idea fragments come to mind. When I get ideas in bed, at the store, etc, I get out my phone and send myself an email. When I have time, I copy all the thoughts from email into the appropriate files.

 

[Malik]

I'm really fortunate that we live in a barn that we renovated. I have an office with a solid wood antique door and heavily insulated walls. It's like a tomb when I close the door. We don't have kids and I do consulting on contract, so I have lots of time to just be still and think. Usually the dog hangs out with me in here. This room has my personal library and my memorabilia - military medals, pictures, boxing trophies, awards. I like it in here; it reminds me that I'm awesome.

The chair helps. The biggest boon to my writing was getting a place where my butt is really comfortable. I prefer my writing chair to my recliner.

As for the actual writing, everything goes into the laptop in MS Word. Concepting, flow charts, and beat sheets are done on legal pads. I have several gigs of images on my hard drive, years of collected stuff, broken down into folders by book for characters, locations, tech, and inspiration. Usually I just turn on Pandora and stare at an image until words come out of my fingers. I'm blessed to have the luxury.

I am starting an active duty tour in the Reserves next week, eight months of 12-16 hour days. I'm gonna miss writing.