A friend of mine is faced with having to write her first full-length novel for a few years. It’s not going to be a problem for her – well, she thinks it will be, but her words are so epic that I know it’ll be fantastic once it’s done, even if she hits some rocks along the road. But it got me to thinking about the life stages of our books. I know we are all different, but for your amusement, here’s mine.
0 Words – Stark Beginnings
In the beginning – there was… actually, I don’t know what there was. The beginning of a book is not when you or I put pen to paper, it’s when that first little seed enters the brain. Who knows how it begins? I couldn’t tell you. I do know, that for me, it began with an image while listening to a song, but something must’ve triggered it before that? Maybe…

500 Words…of notes
So now I have the main characters name and a little background. But not much more. But I do know her hair color. Hell yeah!
2000 Words…still notes
Whoop whoop! – I now have names of LIs, Protagonist, and friends and a tiny bit of their background.

—— Words…I’ve lost count
My notepad doesn’t have a word counter, but it’s full up and I have everyone. Still…I have no plot.
200 Words…of my manuscript
So it begins. Kind of. Or is this complete crap. Should I delete it and start again? What’s going on. Anyone know?

1000 Words in.
I have main character, I have setting, I have action. I have…crap – which character should I introduce next. I should really know this by now.
0 Words in.
That was rubbish. Start again.
2500 words in.
I did it!!! I wrote a chapter. OMG – It’s fabulous. I can totally do this.

10000 words in.
Still rocking it!

12000 Words in.
That’s just….that’s just awful. I don’t even know what that is.

15000 words in.
I Wonder what everyone’s up to on Twitter.

25000 Words in.
And….I’m baaaack. I am the QUEEN of this place. Ooo, yeah. Look what I just wrote. How freakin awesome is that. Honestly…my own genius scares me.

30000 Words in.
I am a total failure.

40000 Words in.
Beginning – check. Middle – check. Ugh – what’s that chapter all about. CUT.
50000 Words in.
There’s a pigeon in that tree. And a squirrel in that one. Ooo – a dragonfly. *Runs off to have a look.

50005 Words in.
That dragonfly sure was pretty. I wonder what other colors they come in. Google has the answers….
60000 Words in.
I actually just don’t care anymore.
65000 Words in.
Oh yes, now I’m rocking it like the God that I am.

65002 Words in.
Wait…what? That’s crap!!! *Jams finger on delete key.

30000 Words in.
I can’t believe I just deleted 35k words. *Sobs while jamming cake into mouth.

30000 Words in and several weeks later.
*Peeks out from under pillow fort. Area seems safe. Snatches notepad from beneath junk food rubbish while swigging cola.
30000 Words in.
I guess I turned into a plotter somewhere along the way….
40000 Words in.
Yes. This is much better.
50000 Words in.
Is it really better? Is this too much? Are there too many twists? Consults critique partner.

60000 Words in.
OMG – I did NOT see that coming. Thank you character who shall not be named for guiding me toward the light.
70000 Words in.
*Stares at screen. Sniffles. Is it really over?
75000 Words in.
Of course not. Layer – you idiot.
80000 Words in. Several months later.
Draft one million and sixty finished.
77000 Words in and several weeks later.
CP’s have ripped it to pieces and I’ve put it back together again. Off to the editor it goes.
OMG – I’m finished. Now I can do all those things I wanted to when I was writing.

A half hour later.
*Fires up laptop… Chapter One….

And there you have it. My writing process. I would love to know yours!