When I first took on writing as a career choice, I was riddled with self-doubt. Am I doing it the right way? Should I have a clear plotline and elaborate structure or should I wing it? Should I set a daily target for how many words to write? Should I have people read my manuscript as I’m writing it?
What I was sure of though, was that no matter what other writers might do in the industry, there were a few things I would never compromise on. I would never write something for the sake of making sales or pleasing a certain audience. Whatever stories I weave are the fruit of passion. They’re what goes on in my head based on experiences I crossed throughout my life. The characters, the names, the worlds, all of them are crafted to my own taste, and I can only hope others would connect with what I’m writing. First and foremost, I need to be honest with myself and my readers, giving them something that is truly my own, a story to think about, a world to discover beyond the boundaries of our physical realm, not just words that casually fit into their mundane life.
I did however want to make sure that my writing process was consistent with the industry standards. So I took a couple master classes from big literary names, read other authors’ biographies and researched their methods. What I discovered was uplifting. Every writer has his own writing ritual. Some writers work within a limited timeframe, some have daily word count targets, and others just write how and when they feel like it. As to methodology, some need to have an accurate and well thought of plotline, others are content with just having a general idea of where the plot is going, and thinking of the details as they write. So no matter what you choose to do, there is no right or wrong way to go about it as long as you’re getting to write.
I believe passion is at the core of every craft, the main driver towards happiness and self-fulfillment. Passion alone however is not enough. If a craft does not bring value to the community, it will dwindle and wither. As writers, we want to bring value to our readers through the quality of our content. And in order to do so, there are guidelines that help us perfect our craft. Books like “Story Substance, Structure, Style” by Robert McKee, “The Anatomy of Story” by John Truby, or “The Story Grid” by Shawn Coyne, provide us with a roadmap to elevate the quality of our stories, dissecting them into parts to understand reader reactions and expectations within every genre. Research, hunger for knowledge and the pursuit of continuous improvement help us create better works to be enjoyed by our readers.
At the end of the day, no one can dictate how you must write. But if writing is your passion, if ideas keep poking at your head in the day and through the night, if your fingers draw in the air, anxious to be typing, if words battle in your head to pour onto your paper, then you will want to be the best you can be, and what better means to do so, than by being humble and learn from the experiences of our elders.
I will write in future entries about my personal writing process, in the meantime, I would love to hear about your own writing journey, so feel free to share.