The Basics of the Writing Process & Enemies of the Artistic Process

All writers go through a similar writing process. The five basic steps are examined below:

 1. Prewriting or coming up with an idea: Generating raw material, freewriting, journal exercises, reading, life experience, choosing the gem among the rocks, (expanding and exploring the idea), getting stuck and moving on.

• Every time we get stuck in a piece of writing, it is helpful to go back to this step 

2. Writing the first draft: Composing and structuring, experiment with technique, decide on a genre, decide on the best structure to tell the story. write.

3. Revising: developing meaning, rereading your work to look for a deeper meaning, sharing your work in a readers’ circle/workshop, getting feedback and response, revision: transforming, rearranging, expanding, cutting.

• Often writers will revise as they write their first draft. It is a good idea at some point to focus ONLY on revision. Professional writers often revise a draft upwards of 10-20 times, if not more.

4. Editing: Fine cutting (cutting unnecessary words and paragraphs), line by line editing, reviewing word choice, proofreading for errors.

• Again, writers often edit while composing. Editing is making strong decisions as to what to include and what to cut. The craft of writing, grammar skills, and writing skills are helpful during this process.

5. Publication: Preparing the manuscript for public perusal, sending your manuscript out to publishers, The rejection letter/the acceptance letter, working with an editor/agent/publisher, publication.

• Writers hope to reach this stage, but realize that not all pieces may find their way to publication. Until then, they circle the revising/editing/drafting/brainstorming stage. 

Please note and learn this process. We will be discussing it all year and for the rest of your life.

Enemies of the Artistic Process

Writing is difficult. But knowing who or what is keeping you from completing your writing can be helpful. Read about the various types of "enemies of the artistic process" and then complete the writing exercise below in the lab. By the end of class, please print out your letter and turn it in for participation credit. Please write your letter in standard letter format. If you don't know what that is, please check this link for a model.

The Procrastinator• Don’t put off tomorrow what can be accomplished today. If you always push away your impulse to create or write, you'll never be inspired. Soon, this becomes crippling. 

The Procrastinator says:
• “You can just write tomorrow or the day after or the day after….”
• “You should write after you get all your other work done.”
• “You have too much to do right now to write.”
• “Write after your life gets back to ‘normal’.”
• “Hey, what’s that over there…coffee!” 

The Victim• Bottom line: stop making your lack of a creative life the fault of someone or something else other than yourself. You are in the driver's seat. If you want to write, you will (and you'll be good at it!) 

The Victim says:
• “My family doesn’t understand or appreciate me.”
• “My teachers are too demanding and fill my life with stress.”
• “My friends demand all my time and attention.”
• “I’m going through a tough time and can’t think to write.” 

The Talker• Don’t talk excessively about your idea/writing until it’s done. Writing is, by nature, a lonely and introspective art. Writing is not speaking. Talking is not writing. 

The talker says:
• “Hey, I’ve got a great idea for a story—want to hear it?” 

The Critic• Every artist (even a successful one) has to deal with this guy sooner or later. He is an emotional vampire that sucks all the joy of creating away. Don't be too critical on yourself. Art is expressive but it is also junky and rambling sometimes, and that's okay. 

The critic says:
• “That’s a stupid idea.”
• “This is going nowhere.”
• “This sucks!”
• “You can’t write!” 

The Judge• For everything there is a season. Being too harsh with yourself is not productive. Thinking that writing is a waste of your time is also not productive. 

The Judge says:
• “You should be doing something more meaningful with your time.”
• “How dare you sit there and write when there’s stuff to be done!”
• “Your family and friends need you more than your art!” 

The Perfectionist• Nothing in this world is perfect. & "to err is human." We all make mistakes. A draft of our writing may not be what we want it to be, just like our children or parents--but it does no good to expect perfection all the time in anything. With practice comes skill. With skill comes art. Crafting is all about making new choices, but nothing is ever perfect--especially art. 

The perfectionist says:
• “It’s not good enough.”
• “I’ll never be a writer!”
• “No one will like my story/poem!”
• “I can’t show this to anyone or they’ll think I’m stupid.”

ASSIGNMENT (complete in class today): When you write, which enemy of the artistic process would you say is your biggest enemy? Choose the enemy you feel causes you the most problems. In your journal, write a "hate" letter to your chosen "enemy". Go ahead and "blast" them, tell your enemy that you are not going to take their "crap" anymore. Be ruthless! Tell it like it is! Be creative! Write a letter (use the proper letter format for full credit!)

Then believe your letter. Don't let your enemy win!

Don't waste time! Make a date with writing, keep it, and it will meet you!

Classwork: After writing your letter, you may begin writing anything you wish (poem, script, short fiction, journalism article, etc.) or spend your time reading and completing the homework below.

HOMEWORK: Please read pages 3-32 in your Sudden Fiction books. In your journal/notebook write a 1-sentence summary of each story you read. Be prepared to discuss, compare/contrast these stories next class.