Preparation, Planning, Production

The title of the blog today is actually a chapter in a book by Dwight Swain called Techniques of the Selling Writer. It is a fab book and if you can locate a copy, you should definitely pick it up - assuming of course, that you're a writer. If you're a reader, then not so much. :)

So I was reading a bit of this book last night while soaking in a hot bath with mineral salts that are supposed to clear up my nose (not sure if it worked, but the bath was really nice), and the first sentence in this chapter made me laugh out loud both because of its directness and how truthful it is. See what you think:

"The best observation anyone can make on preparation, planning and production is that everyone has a God-given right to go to hell in his own way - and don't let anyone kid you out of yours."

This is priceless! And can apply to anything in life, really. But for writers it's specifically important because we spend so much time in books, workshops, with critique partners and mentors hearing how we OUGHT to do things. The reality is, writing method is as varied by author as is hair color and just as personal. I don't know of any two writers who write exactly alike. And quite frankly, most authors I know have had to adjust their method of writing after their first sale.

I had to go from seat-of-the-pants to writing a proposal, and I REALLY mean seat-of-the-pants. RUMBLE ON THE BAYOU started with a single scene idea I had - what if an alligator bit into a backpack of drugs, got high and ran into someone's swimming pool. Literally, that was all I had - one scene that I thought would make a hilarious opening to a book. Then I had to build everything around it. And since I changed who the bad guy was three different times before I wrote THE END, I definitely wasn't writing from an outline. I subscribed to the Stephen King theory which is "if I don't know how it ends, how can my reader?" Then enter the sale - and the sale on proposal concept and life begain to suck and I had to plan ahead. It's still a work in process (the planning ahead part) but I'm getting better at it.

I'm going to cover a bit more of what Swain has to say on the three P's tomorrow, but for today, I would like to know how you "settled" on your writing method, has anyone tried to change it, and what did you do about it when they did.

Have a great Hump Day!