The scariest moment is right before you start. -Stephen King
Writing is a process; any type of art is, really. As a screenwriter and theatre composer, I have become accustomed to many different shades of success and failure. If writing was a painless task, everyone would do it. But the writing process itself chews up and spits out wannabes. Here are the six steps you're guaranteed to experience as a writer.
1. Brainstorming
We all start at the same place, the drawing board. Hours of sitting down and thinking. A 3-pack of dry erase markers run dry. Your friends haven’t seen you for weeks. Your mom assumes you’re on a bender. If only.
When it comes to conceptualizing your next big project, sometimes you have to have 1,000 ideas before you find "the one." Maybe you get lucky and you find it after 5. Chances are, you'll be brainstorming for a while, but that's what makes finding a unique idea so great.
2. The epiphany
When you do find THE idea, you fall head over heels.
Your mind wanders while you sit in class or work about the endless possibilities on the journey you’re about to embark.
You tell all of your friends and family about your idea. Even when met with indifference, your idea still excites you to no end. Then comes the hard part.
3. The hard work and exhaustion
Drink coffee. You sit for hours trying to conjure the right combination of words. The simplest concepts that seemed so crystal clear earlier now seem unreachable. You stare at your computer some more and return to your mug which has now grown cold. This stage is where fake writers give up and real writers persist.
4. Procrastination
Click endlessly on the See Also links on Wikipedia. Read awesome online articles like this one.
5. The despair and frustration
Even the best writers reach a point when they are immersed so deep in a project that it becomes a regular part of their life. When it feels like its going nowhere, we as writers tend to become rather moody, inconsolable, and frustrated. In simpler terms, grappling writers can be douche bags. The people that love you will understand. When you emerge from said funk, you will remember why you love writing so much.
6. The second epiphany
You've been looking for the missing piece for months, the thing that would make you excited about your project again. You began to lose faith as weeks turned to months. But when you stopped obsessing, it suddenly appeared. You don't know what you did any different to make the answer appear, but regardless, you thank the mystical writing forces at work and begin to regain your writing swagger.
7. Revisions
You open yourself to critique from collaborators, people you respect. You can hardly believe it when they tell you your work is not an infallible piece of doctrine. It's important to realize that most people will critique your work because they genuinely want to help you. This stage can tend to be a little tedious. Depending on the amount of revisions that need to be made, you might need to go back to step five and earn your way back here.
8. The rejoicing and celebration
Your piece is finished. You can take a brief break to enjoy the product of your months (sometimes years) of labor. The writer inside of you isn’t content. You want more. Take this project as far as it will possibly bring you. Share it with everyone and pursue every opportunity. When it can't bring you any further, return to step one. It's time to do it all over again.
At the end of the day the chase makes it all worth it. We are all chasing after that next great idea and that next great story. I know Ferris Buehler is one of the most over quoted movies of all time, but the movie's famous quote applies to writing too. Slow down and enjoy the process. Even if pursuing your writing passion takes time and effort. Until you reach Stephen King status, enjoy the struggle.
