My writing process for my first book part: 2

Understanding Myself as a Writer

Happy Tuesday! For part 2 of my writing process, I thought I’d share some tips and tricks that I use to help make the writing process less painful. For so long, I hated the process because I didn’t know who I was as a writer. Learning these things has helped me to develop my skills and become a more effective and confident writer.

So, here’s my list of a few things I have learned about myself as a writer. I hope these points can also help you in your writing journey.

I am a visual thinker.

I tend to think in images and concepts rather than words. As a result, I often create visual outlines or mind maps to help me organize my thoughts before I begin writing.

I prefer to write in short bursts.

I find that I am most productive when writing for short periods rather than trying to write for hours on end. I often set a timer for 25 minutes and write as much as I can during that time, then take a short break before starting again. Or I would set a daily goal of 25 words a day. Sometimes this was really easy, other times, not so much! :(

"For so long, I hated the process because I didn't know who I was a writer."

I need to have a clear plan before I begin writing.

This is not just writer Jay, I am a fan of a plan. I am most productive when I have a clear idea of what I want to write and how I want to structure my work.

I am a perfectionist.

Who would’ve thought being a perfectionist in my everyday life would transfer to my writing, but sure enough, I almost delayed the launch of my book because I was waiting for it to be perfect. I tend to spend a lot of time revising and editing my work, sometimes to the point of overworking it. I have learned to set limits for myself and to recognize when it is time to move on to the next stage of the writing process.

I need feedback from others.

I deal with terrible imposter syndrome. I didn’t call myself an author for the first full year of my book being released. I find that I am most effective when I receive feedback from others on my writing. I often share my work with a trusted group of friends, editors, etc to get feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Writing my way

By understanding myself as a writer, I am able to develop strategies and techniques that work best for me. This allows me to be more productive and efficient in my writing process and to produce work that is of the highest quality. Not to mention, I hated it a little less! Happy writing!