Thread by @elleowenswrites

Here’s a 🧵 no one asked for but I wanted to talk about how I wrote a book in three weeks for clarity. I am low key obsessed with reading about other writers processes so here we go 1/#WritingCommunity

This latest thriller is my 26th? 27th manuscript I’ve written. That helps because I know my weaknesses and strengths. I also have another penname in a different genre and have been publishing for six years there 2/?

I know when I focus, I can write 2.5K words an hour. So, I try to figure out how many hours I need for a draft. This also takes into account a) I write wayyy faster in the morning and b) I disconnect from the internet cause I have no self control 3/?

I do two things every time I draft, regardless of genre.

1) I always finish up a writing session on a chapter ending. And then, when I return, I reread the last chapter. Every. Single. Time. This way, I’m already doing a couple rounds of self edits as I go

4/?

I know that’s not for everyone but it’s how I work best so my first draft is usually decently clean (still needs work though lol)

The second thing: is to add comments throughout when I deviated from the plot/added a clue/tension

For example — 5/?

I have a scene where the character desperately needs car keys. I never wrote where they were but I needed X to steal and hide them 4 chapters ago. I write like that already happened then leave a note to add it in Xs POV 6/?

I do things like that all the time— just write like X did this or Y did that, comment to fix it, then when I do a read through at the end, I only have to add a few lines or so. 7/?

Should also say that I’m on maternity leave and my baby sleeps about 4 combined hours a day with naps. When I return to my stressful job in tech, my productivity will decrease… 90% lol but I will do the same process when I find time to write again!