Personally, I start with nothing more than an interesting character and an overarching story concept. Those are the only two things I have in mind when I sit down to write. I seem to have three main phases.

Write / Develop
Summarize
Review

Write

This is pretty simple. Busy hands, pages of text.

Most of my time is spent in this phase, but it's not very complicated so the "Develop" phase gets more explanation.

As I write, I take frequent breaks to "branch out"; this is where I flesh out the world and any new characters I've introduced.

Develop

If the plot needs something, I make a note so I remember to edit or supplement what I've already written. I also write notes on what each character/faction wants or needs to do within the story. To this end, I use Scrivener since it makes it very easy to take notes and manage the document in sections---tasks which many word processors cannot do very well at all.

This can redirect the plot---sometimes slightly, sometimes significantly. I find I'm usually done with major changes once I've identified 2-3 main characters.

Summarize

At the end, I'll outline the plot. I try the built-in tool; sometimes it works with minor tweaking, and sometimes I just do it by hand.

I will also make a final inventory of the goals, actions, and histories of the characters/factions.

Review

I check the outline against my notes, and I generally make subtle changes to ensure consistency or deepen characterization.

Basically, I'm removing potential friction points for the reader.

At this point, I'll contemplate a major rewrite if the story becomes more intriguing by resolving the friction points in another direction.

Wait... rewrite when?!

I find that putting off consideration of a rewrite until the end is a huge benefit. It may seem counter-intuitive, but it has worked out very well in practice. Instead of agonizing over every decision, I get into the flow and enjoy the process more.

My process is unconventional if you've primarily written essays or technical papers. It is largely undirected. I start with no defined thesis, endpoint, or goal. The endpoint evolves as the characters bring the world around them into focus.

This only works if you accept one core principle: Always be flexible and willing to pursue an alternative. You're only wasting time if you don't enjoy the process.

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