When an author writes there is generally a process that they choose to stick with because it works for them. Personally in author interviews this is the question I always find most interesting. I enjoy learning what everyone else does because sometimes I find things others do to be useful in my own writing process. So, here’s how I did things with Shattered Soul…

The entire novel started with one little scene that popped in my head while folding laundry on a Sunday afternoon. This is how all of my novels start, not necessarily while folding laundry each time, but just a scene that pops into my head. If you have read Shattered Soul in paperback form this first scene was in chapter 17 on page 132. And if you’ve read the ebook form, it started just a few clicks from the chapter 17 header. This is the beginning to that particular little section :
I watched as his eyes shifted to Ali, gleaming with all the skill of a smooth predator. The way he looked at her, as though she were a tasty morsel for him to devour, made an uncontrollable rage sizzle through me.
 I dropped my gaze to the floor. I had to tear my eyes away from him, from her, from this. Because me watching was only fueling the situation for each of them even more.

If you’ve read the book then you know where this is going. But it was this scene, which is about a page long and towards the end of the book, that started it all. I would put more, but I don’t want to give anything away.

I wrote out that entire little clip and jumped to the beginning. For some reason the quote at the beginning was the next thing to pop into my mind. Horrible I know, and yes, it seriously was something I vividly remember reading off a bathroom stall when I was in high school.

I wrote chapters 1-4 in one day between the blue lines of a spiral bound notebook, then typed it all up on my laptop the next day. This novel came to me so quickly I couldn’t get it on paper fast enough. I’d write a few paragraphs and then a few sentences of dialogue would come to mind for later on in the plot and I’d jot them down on a page towards the front of my notebook titled “Scenes” to save for later.

There were a few places where I became stuck, unable to write even a full sentence without scratching it out with my pen. In these times I found it best to go back at least three pages and reread what I’d wrote to get back into the story again. Sometimes I’d have to do this for a few days, if I’m being truly honest.

This is how my writing process works.

 I start with a blank spiral bound notebook.  I write any title names, character names, and character physical traits on the inside cover. Sometimes I also use this area to help me figure out the time line. The first four pages I keep blank to use as my “Scene” pages. This is where I write any clips or dialogue that comes to mind. I put a check beside each one I’ve all ready used as I use them and scratch out any that don’t fit the way things have gone.

And then I write. Which becomes a horrible mess that I’m sure no one but myself can understand due to all the scratch outs and jumbled up writing all over the pages.

On the back cover I jot down little things that I need to remember for the story. With Shattered Soul I had to look up some prescription drug names and usages online and this is where I wrote them down. 

When I finally finished writing Shattered Soul there were a few pages blank at the end of my notebook, this is where I kept my editing notes for all four rounds that I personally did and also where I wrote my blurb.

Some authors outline their entire novel. Some wing it. Some use the snowflake method. In the end each method has the same result (hopefully) a completed novel.