In My Mind

While morning temperatures dropped well below zero this weekend I was working on preparing my presentation “Let Cinematic Writing Improve Your Book” at the 2020 Writers’ Institute (3/26/20 at 2:30 pm) uwwritersinstitute.wisc.edu www.uwwritersinstitute.wisc.edu.

In the presentation I will explain how I write.  My experience is that every writer has their own unique method of writing.  I am not trying to be prescriptive and tell you how to write.  Instead, I will explain my method and suggest you give it a try.

I begin every scene in my head.  I literally “see” a scene in my mind like you are watching a video.  By seeing the scene I snare the action that is going to take place.  When I write I add physicality to the scene with scent, heat, touch, weather and etc.  Sometimes in my mind I even imagine dialogue but  that is rare.  The reason I don’t hear dialogue in my mind is because the visual and language centers are in two different parts of the brain.  I seem to be limited to one part of my brain working at a time.
​
I always write the first draft without editing.  With the manuscript I’m working on now I made the mistake of taking a weekender class on editing.  Damn near destroyed my process and cost me weeks of productive time.
Once the story is finished I give myself a week or two off to let the story “get cold.”  Then I begin craft editing to prepare to send it off to an editor.
Want to learn more about cinematic writing.  Attend the 2020 Writer’s Institute March 26-29 in Madison, WI (see link above).