How do you write?

[Trevor]

I was asked the other day how I got into writing.

I went to a local writer's group last weekend. This is not something I had done before. A friend of mine invited me so I thought, why not. This group is called Shut Up and Write. I don't know if this is a common thing that is done all over or not but that is what this one is called. It starts out with introductions then goes into an hour of sit down in the little coffee shop and write for an hour with a timer going.

I introduce myself and explain who I am, and I am supposed to say what I am working on. I say to the group that I have published (Self publish) two books and just finished my third. I am then supposed to say what I am working on. So, I say I guess I will be working on my fourth book now. This is all fine and dandy.

We sit down to begin our hour, and I realize that this is not for me. Not that it was bad at all but not how I do things. I wrote the first three books waiting to pick up kids at school and practice, or when I was up before my family in the morning. I don't write on a schedule with a timer. I went back and read the three chapters I wrote and I didn't like any of it. The direction of the story, the feeling of the words. None of it felt like my characters.

I realize now that, for this group this is what they need. This is how they operate. I looked around at how the writers were working and I was surprised to see that everyone had a different style. One guy liked to write on his phone then transfer to paper then transfer to word. Another guy had a notebook with many notes that he was trying to put together into his writing. The lady next to me had a laptop and a notebook that she would work back and forth between the two.

Everyone there had a different style including me. I had my phone and a cup of coffee. That has been what works for me. I write as I go. No plan, no notes. Just whatever comes along. I don't know where the story will go before the next word.

The point of my post is that you write how you write and do what works for you. I have written three complete books and working on the fourth now. If I tried to force myself to write how someone else does, it doesn't work. Find your groove and ride in it!