My Organized Chaos

I might be something like a weirdo, but I love spreadsheets and organization. However, at the same time, I thrive in chaos. I am a walking conundrum.

While some of this stuff comes together great amongst the chaos, it is getting to the point of requiring organization to keep it all straight. Keep in mind, I have nine books in my head for this first series that I have to get out in a way that makes sense and is cohesive (or y’all will talk bad about me).

I have several other ideas for other books that keep popping up, but I don’t want to distract myself. So, I’m keeping a few notes about those, and getting back to the Murder Mindset Series.

To give you an overview of my writing process, I’ll let you know how it begins for me. This may get confusing because, well, the chaos part. I daydream. A lot. Like, when I’m driving, when I’m bored, to try to fall asleep; almost constantly. I’ll get a little spark of an idea. If I come back to that idea, it’ll grow a little bit.

Once the little spark has grown into something somewhat conceivable, interesting, and intriguing, I fan the flames. I start to wander off in different directions about where the story can go (in my head). It usually develops more as I think about the main character.

I think about it for quite some time, seeing some of the things that will come up and getting to know the character intimately. The more I think about them, the more their story reveals itself to me. Sometimes parts of it change.

Then I start to write. Originally, I started to write out the story in my notebook, relying on the roadmap of the story in my head. Then, as I was writing, I would think of something else or decide to rearrange the order of something. I’d have to rewrite my notebook out.

Keep in mind, this is my process for my own work. Ghostwriting is a totally different thing for me. In a lot of ways, it’s easier. In some cases, I’ve helped organize the content, then rewrote it in a cohesive way. In others, an outline was provided and I fleshed it out. Creating my own work gives me so much more freedom and wide-open space to roam.

My first novel that I started several years ago got put aside. I am so happy to reveal that I am reviving that novel as a part of the Murder Mindset Series. (You’ll meet Shyla later.)

I started using the same method with The Rideshare Chronicles: Volume I. I didn’t want to follow an outline or be chained to any preconceived outcome. I wanted the story to just flow.

I had to rewrite the book so many times with the first few chapters because I kept changing things that I went through an entire notebook. That’s when I changed it over to technology. I created a super loose outline and moved things around accordingly.

On my first read-through, I realized I mixed up some stuff with the timeline. So, I changed my approach for the second volume.

I have the entire series (plus a few others) mapped out in my head. However, I realized that with writing three trilogies that intersect, it would require more organization. So, against my little rebellious heart, I started to organize.

I created a spreadsheet to keep track of character details and encounters so I don’t contradict myself. I also created an outline for each of the books, notating the crossovers.

When I read, I get easily annoyed when details change or discrepancies with the story arise. I don’t want to create that in my work. (Again, y’all will talk bad about me!)

I was re-reading the draft of my very first novel and laughed at myself with embarrassment for how far-fetched some of the timeline was. It was even worse when I realized I renamed a supporting character three times in the first half of the book. That was ultimately what led me to keeping the spreadsheets.

Once I have my first draft written, I read it out loud with a friend. He seems to catch when things don’t make too much sense or when a character is lacking. (Sometimes I get an attitude because I thought the part was amazing, but come to realize he’s usually right.)

After I polish my draft I send it to my team of beta readers. They are godsends. They all have incredibly different backgrounds, lifestyles, and views. I take their input and suggestions and decide on any changes I want to make.

Then it goes to editing. I go over those edits, to make sure they didn’t change the course of the story. Then I have to leave it alone. If I keep looking at it or reading it, I’ll keep tweaking it and have to start the whole process over again.

If you’re a writer, what is your process? If not, did that make any sense at all? That’s the boring part of the process. The imagining and creating is the fun part.