The Process of Writing a Book

I have seven books available on Amazon. Seven. While each is different - though, obviously, Balor Reborn and The Hounds of Hell are somewhat similar since they're part of a series - there's a process that comes with writing them. Even when I wrote a book in a week, I stuck to this process. It just so happened to be on fast-forward. Here's how I do things.

Step 1: The Idea

I start with an idea. For the Modern Irish Myth books, it was simple. I wanted to write a series of books about the return of gods and fairies to Ireland, and I wanted to start with one of my favourite villains from Irish mythology: Balor of the Evil Eye. For Planning Before Writing and 25 Ways to Beat Writer's Block, the ideas came from wanting to write about writing. I wanted to share what I knew, and from a list of topics that I thought I could feasibly write something about, they stuck out off the page.

Step 2: Planning

Not every book I've written has been planned in the same way. The Modern Irish Myth books have a chapter-by-chapter summary written as the plan. They're usually 7-10 pages long, typed, and go into quite a bit of detail.

Planning Before Writing was planned with a mind map on a small piece of paper. I literally just wrote down different ways to plan a book, and different reasons for planning.

25 Ways to Beat Writer's Block was simply a list of chapters before it was written. I decided upon an order for them to appear in, but after that I was writing what was necessary for each chapter, as it came. I didn't necessarily have to write the book in order, but I did.

My other books fell into similar patterns, either a list of a detailed description of each part of the book. The important thing, for me, was to get together even a small document about the book that I could work from.

Step 3: Time Management

This doesn't always happen for me, but it certainly helps. Balor Reborn was written in a week. I needed to  have the time set aside to do it. Planning Before Writing was written while I was on Teaching Placement. I had to have time in the evening to write a chapter, but after my preparation for lessons the next day. 25 Ways to Beat Writer's Block was written, largely, during my niece's nap times while I was minding her, or in the evenings. It was affected by Christmas and a suddenly increase in working hours.

When I really get going properly, I have a system in place for writing a book regarding time management. I give it priority over anything else I have to write that day. If I need to have a story written for the next day, it means I have to write the book without distraction. I write every day, without exception, and I make sure I have the time to do so. No excuses, no exceptions.

Step 4: Writing the First Draft

I write rather quickly. This is due to a combination of the previous three steps - the idea keeping me interested, the plan helping me go without stopping, and the time management allowing me to work uninterrupted by other duties - and my ability to type fairly quickly without error. I picked up the latter skill over the years when I was writing my first book. Between the ages of 12 and 15, I started the same book four times. We didn't have an Internet connection in the house, we didn't have USB keys, and we didn't have a way of transferring old files over to a new computer. The final first draft I wrote had to be written from scratch, but that allowed me to develop my typing abilities while doing something that interested me.

With that to back me up, writing the first draft of a book is relatively simple. I could, if I had the inclination, write a full length novel in two weeks. I would need to have the time away from other responsibilities like child minding or bookselling, but I think it could be done. (The maths involved in this speculation: 90000 words, divided by 14 days = 6430 words per day, which is less than 6 hours work at a rate of 1200 words per hour. That's my rough average, taking tiredness into consideration for longer writing periods.)

I follow my plan for the first draft, deviating only if I think the book could do with some padding out and I have an idea beforehand. The last thing I ever want is to expand a book for the sake of it, so any additional extras are there for a reason.

Step 5: Editing the First Draft

For me, editing is an annoying process. I don't like changing my book too much. I always do a proof edit, to make sure there are no typing errors, but when I have my doubts over a story I have to get someone else to read it. Since 2012, I've relied on a friend who reads spectacularly fast. He read and commented on Balor Reborn in an hour. I attempt to remove as much necessity to change a story as possible by working on my plan in detail, sticking to it, and playing out questionable scenes in my head before writing them. (If you ever see me talking to myself walking down the road, that's probably what I'm doing. I can't help myself sometimes, and other times I just like the sound of my own voice...)

Step 6: The Cover

I always need a cover. Since the days of self-publishing technology becoming available to me, I've needed to know what my book would look like with a cover. I've even done covers for books I don't plan on releasing. I just enjoy making them.

Step 7: Formatting the Book

When the editing has been done - and you can include rewrites in there - I also format my book. This involves either preparing it for publication, or just readying it for when I print it off for myself. I like the book to look neat, and to read easily. I even print the cover onto a sheet of photo paper for a nice glossy effect. (Seriously. Even if I don't keep a printed copy of the book nearby, I print the cover. Right now, I have the cover for 25 Ways to Beat Writer's Block beside me at my desk.)

Step 8: Celebrate

I have a ritual when I finish a book of getting a cup of tea. I leave my tablet in my room. I don't watch the television. I just sit at the kitchen table and enjoy my cup of tea, and maybe tell a couple of people via text message that I finished the book. That's it. That's how I celebrate. It's not the spuds-and-beer stereotype we Irish are known for, but it'll have to do!

When everything else is done and I've got this new book written and ready for me to do what I will with it, I can start all over again. I'll pick another idea, maybe even a different genre, and I'll write another book. It's my favourite past-time. (Publishing is a different matter. That's business. The writing is for fun.) If I could, I'd just write all the time. Someday, I hope that'll be the reality for me. For now, though, I'll just have to stick with my 8-step process and enjoy writing for the sake of it when life allows.

Day 15: Eep

I'm not going to lie, part of me is terrified about tomorrow. That part of me is ignoring the book I'd been editing. The Hounds of Hell is coming out!

It's been a fun experience to write the book, but I can't wait for it to be released into the wild, and for the publication party to begin with it. With that said, though, I still have to write tomorrow's flash story.

I'm kind of behind on this, to be honest, but I think it'll be fine. Flash stories are, by their very nature, short. I enjoy writing them. I chose a fun one to start with. In the words of my people, be grand sure.

Today, I was in full editing mode, though. No writing. Yet. As soon as everything's ready for tomorrow, I'll get something done, I hope. Though, I think by then it'll be a bit late. It means I'll be writing a lot tomorrow, between all the fun publication stuff. Expect tweets. Expect Literary Stand-Up. Expect me to be super excited.

And expect tea. Lots of tea.

I would probably be more prepared for the launch if I hadn't been in work today. I was essentially a robot for my shift, grabbing books with stickers belonging to the old shop, and putting new ones on. Okay, mis-representation: we're the same shop, and the same company, but we're a franchise. And the change-over is a nightmare. I officially hate stickers. Especially our old €8.99 stickers. They put up a fight.

Anyway, a full day's work slowed me down in the writing department. I'm not complaining, though. I could use the money for the day in it. Even writers have to eat and buy comic books.

So, yes, blathering on now... I have work to do. And excitement to contain. Eep!

Fixing Mistakes

Editing is an annoying part of the writing process, but something that can and will be of great importance to every writer. It helps to remove all those annoying little grammatical errors that you didn't notice when you wrote the piece, it helps to make the piece flow better, and in my case it helps to cover up the stupid little mistakes I made.

This summer, along with write a whole load, I plan on editing the three novellas I wrote last summer. By and large this will just be for myself so that I can clear the books of a certain feel to them, too real to be fiction and too fictional to be biographical. I want these books to be my own, and so during the edits I'll be making them different, adding people here, removing people there, twisting the already twisted lying memories into something truer than ever before, true in its fiction, not in the anecdotes the books twist into full-blown stories.

Unless a writing career develops that calls for need for these books, they'll largely just be something for myself. They'll be mistakes I've made and corrected, practice in writing and practice in editing, and that is something I can be proud of. Fixing the mistakes of my past seems to be a continuing theme of my life, making sure all those little things I did get made up for.

A year ago, and since, my blog has been a forum of discussion of many of the affairs of my life. I have been comfortable talking about some things, uncomfortable talking about others and expressing my anguish poorly and indirectly, and while I have moaned to some extent about certain people publicly I have kept their names a secret; I understand the importance of being somewhat discreet in these matters and know that public defamation, all legalities aside, is just plain wrong.

So my blog is transforming into what I want it to be - a place where I can review books, a place where I can share anecdotes about my life, and a place where I can talk about the writing I am doing. I'm liking it more this way. Obviously if something drastic happens that darkens my mood and I feel the need to complain in some way, I will probably resort to my blog for that, but this is my way of maintaining contact with my sometimes-few readers.


Official housekeeping stuff: I know I missed my review on Wednesday. I'll post it this coming Wednesday instead. And I will explain why I missed it in a future post, as well as explain why I didn't explain why sooner in another post. It's been a busy few days.

Super cool announcement: Way back when (I can't quite remember how long ago - not too long - so I'm over-estimating... it was last month) Rebecca Woodhead put out a call for people to answer some questions about Facebook. She was writing an article for the May 2011 issue of Writing Magazine. I answered her questions on her blog (http://rebeccawoodhead.com) and Rebecca, being such a lovely person, got back to me shortly afterwards and said she was going to quote me in the article. Yes, that's right: thanks to the ever-brilliant Rebecca Woodhead (whose début novel is coming out in a matter of days! Go to her site, now!) I will be making a cameo appearance in a national (and the best selling) UK writing magazine. How cool is that?! I can't wait to go into town right after college at the end of the week to get it!

That's it for now. I'll be back tomorrow or Tuesday to write about last Wednesday, a review will be up this Wednesday, then I'll be writing about Thursday just gone and Monday coming over the next couple of days after that. They almost became one big post, but I figure the events were significant enough for me to separate them in worded-awesome. Until next time, take care!

Let's Revise, Shall We?

Editing is a bitch, sometimes. However, I have successfully gotten through Meet Sam with the red pen without setting it on fire. I consider this to be something of a success. Yes, there's a lot of red ink in it, but that just gives me work to do before I even get around to draft number two!

Speaking of draft two, that's when I bring in a lot of revision. One thing I'm considering changing is the type of drug my main character was addicted to in his past. It is, as it stands, cocaine. I figure, that's a bit weird, to only snort coke and do nothing else... so he's being a weed smoker, instead. He's going to have been a regular smoker to, which will result in a few fun moments in the book when he really needs to calm down, craving a cigarette, dying for one!

I also found a plot hole. Well, I knew it was there. But actually locating it was funny. I mentioned something, in dialogue, that the character doesn't find out until a bit later. This is the problem with extensive planning; if you know something is going to happen, one has to be careful not to let it be mentioned before it actually happens!

As well as that, I've located the times in the book that allow for relationships with three of the other characters to be expanded upon. They're kind of important... his only cousin and his parents... there are over a dozen time segments that I have in the book that will allow for this sort of stuff, directly. Then there's the four long time gaps I can work with! They will allow for much development of plot, as well as giving some history with and of the other characters. There's also a fun opportunity for some creative experimentation with the human mind.

For those of you who still don't know, Meet Sam is a book about writing, about Dublin, about relationships and how they can be royally fucked up very easily, about drugs, sex, music, freedom, the human mind and emotions. It's my best idea, ever. I've had some good ideas, I know that. I haven't used them all, and I haven't used them all correctly that have been used, but I know they were good ideas. This is from experience, I might add. I know good ideas when I see them, and these were good ideas. And Meet Sam is my best yet; not the narrator in the head sort of idea, I might add. That's just an added bonus. It's the result of having a narrator in the head of the main character that's the really good idea.

Also, as a funny note: the hero of the book isn't even the main character. Sam is the one everything happens to, while his cousin is the one who actually saves the day on a couple of occassions! This is where this book related to my life (except I can't go back and revise my own life - I can fix it, which I intend to, but I can't go back and actually change anything). In some respects, I relate to Sam quite well, but he's also made up of parts of other people I knew when I wrote the book. No one from college, I might add. I didn't know any of them, then. Okay, so he might be like a few of them, but they didn't directly influence the creation of him. Like Sam, I tend to find myself in a case of being a victim. This is the sad sort of crazy we both suffer from. Lack of decentring, really. But anyway, neither of us are really totally and utterly concerned with ourselves; there's usually someone else, our Abby (though my Abby isn't his Abby... my Abby isn't called Abby, for one thing!). The Abby of life is the one that makes everything worth it. It can be more than one person, of course, and it doesn't always have to be a romantic thing. Abby is salvation, release, freedom. I know several people that fit the Abby description. Heck, I even have a Nick in my life (Nick being the older cousin). This was a weird realisation: Nick is pretty much imagined quite closely to how my friend Liam actually is. And he's been that way since before I knew Liam. Funny, that. 'Course, the Nick figure is the one that helps out all the time and, like the Abby figure, isn't always exactly as I describe. Sure, there are other Nick figures in my life, and they're mostly female. It's to do with the influence the person has on my life that determines whether they're a Nick or an Abby.

But wait, there's more. There's the Alex figure. Alex is a little-mentioned character, whom I may or may not expand upon. Alex is the bad influence on life. Alex can be anyone. Anyone at all. You know peer-pressure? Yeah, your peers are Alex, if they're getting you into some sort of trouble. We all have an Alex in our lives. There's always someone to get us into some state of trouble, whether it's with someone else or with ourselves, someone to destroy us. And like Alex in the book, you can't entirely get rid of them.

And of course, we all have parents. Not biological parents, though that's true of the fortunate of us, but people who act like parents for us. There's always someone to care for us simply because of who you are. You aren't necessarily related, but that makes no difference. Family can mean anything, and you can have any number of people acting as parents for you at some stage or another!

(Funny thought, based on things teachers used to say to me: If this book ever shows up on the Leaving Cert syllabus, students just need to find this post and they've got lots of info on the book right from the author's mouth!)

So, that's it. After a few hours revising, this is what I can come up with. I have a deeper understand of my own characters, and of how I am essentially living my book every single day, in the ways I interact with other people. Hence why I put so much work into this thing. It's the best thing I've written because it can have such a large impact on my own life and on the lives of other people who can come to recognise the truly important people around them. And I really don't mean that to sound pretentious. I really don't. I mean it as a personal experience - I am happier in the knowledge of how people affect me. I know who to avoid and who to talk to, who's best for my mental and emotional security, who cares for me, and who doesn't. Mostly it's college people. That's the best thing that's ever happened to me - getting out of secondary school and into my college. My particular college. Another college wouldn't have done. It wouldn't have been the same. I wouldn't have made the amazing friends I made this year, who I know I'm going to miss seeing, even if I can talk to them online or on the phone or whatever.

Ah! Inspiration. This means I have to go. Thank you for reading all this... it's rubbish straight from my mouth, really.