Let me start this by saying there are days where my thought process resembles that of a squirrel at a rave trying to talk to a duck, a pigeon, and a dog about things while dancing to the wrong beat, but it keeps on chugging so there is that.

Maybe I should cut back on the caffeine…. Who am I kidding? I am a writer it’s half of what is running through my veins at this precise moment.

Outside of my scatterbrained thought process the rest of it is about organization. Chaotic organization. I always make sure to have my computer, iPad, my research, prewritten scenes, and notes. I also ALWAYS make sure my phone is on silent. I get distracted once and there is no going back.

I love candles and music on in the background. It just makes me feel like I am in a zone. I have different playlists on my phone for different types of scenes and moods. Spotify has some great ones too specifically for writing! Go out and find some fun ones and when you first listen if a scene pops in your head… save it. You can always come back for it later.

Now when it comes to keeping me going while writing I am for coffee or tea. Any kind. Weather dependent on how hot or cold I go with both. Once in a while I end up a few Monster teas deep. This might be why the squirrel ends up at the rave to be honest…

I have a ton of things prewritten and set aside for all different series additions that I have, but again they are organized chaos. I have thought about fully organizing them. The issue with that is that I know where they all are right now. Changing that part of the process would probably drive me crazy.

Writing tools… pens. All colors. All types… I favor the Pilot Acroball, but I have a large assortment of Pilot pens. They get me through all of my first drafts.

I hand write it all out first. I then edit it the same way before typing up the second draft to do another edit. There is something extremely calming and freeing to write it all out and let things flow from my mind, through the pen, to the paper, and officially out into the world. Even if I am the only one seeing that first draft it is still out there.

There is this excitement knowing I have made it to the second draft while I am typing. I follow my initial edits and let it all go. If I can add things or small scenes here or there because they flow and work in a different format I am just as happy as I was with the first draft. I edit another round after this and head into a final.

The final round of self-editing is the hardest part for me. I always thought it would be having someone else edit, but it isn’t. I am a lot harder on myself than anyone else seems to be. After this edit is when I take the step to have someone else read and edit before I prep to send out queries.

Every writer has a different process. We all take the time to set it up and organize it, or let it run free. There is no wrong way to write, and no perfect process.

My favorite lesson that I have ever learned is just to have fun with it, and just keep going.

-AB