My Writing Process- Tales from a Super Planner

May 25, 2021 | By Women Writers Women Books | Reply More

By Paris Wynters

I remember very well sitting in a search and rescue training class, listening to a bunch of men talking about two convicts who had recently escaped a jail and how the search for the men was going. I remember listening to those same men criticize canine work while others rolled their eyes at the comments but never spoke up. And I remember one of the men bringing up a “ridiculous romance book about working dogs.”

While I learned a lot in that class, I also spent that time plotting the next story I wanted to write. One that highlights what working dogs actually do. But that last comment stuck with me and I did some research because I wanted to know more. Of course, I found the same sort of comments from canine handlers, which meant I needed to pick up the book. As a writer I know fiction pushes the bounds but I wanted to understand what got my fellow handlers upset.

And after reading, I understood. Like many people in the world, the book had not done its due diligence in representing what canine search and rescue is about. Nor did it represent us handlers who are volunteers.

This only confirmed the plot I had started working and it was time to dig my heels in for the long haul.

Now, I am a plotter. And I mean that I am a writer who will have a twenty page detailed chapter by chapter outline and still not consider it enough. I will also have five page character profiles on the important characters in my book all before I begin writing the first paragraph.

My writing process usually begins with me taking notes, filling in a chart I have that helps to organize my characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts. But the biggest part of the chart, the one that is up at the top, is all about my why. Why is this book important to me and why do I want to write this particular story. This might also be where I might add certain concepts I want to include like having a working dog be a former shelter dog, which is what I did for Called Into Action. After all, my search and rescue canine partner is a former shelter dog and there were many obstacles we had to overcome because of that, including peoples’ views of him and his capabilities.

Once I understand the skeletal outline, I usually dive into my character profiles. They are quite robust and include aspects such as core wounds, background stories, dreams, quirks, and even some geographical and job tendencies. I make these not only for my main characters but for secondary characters as well.

Next comes the plotting. And plotting. And plotting. Followed by my writing friends telling me to stop plotting and to start writing, which the ones who really know me will ask for a screen shot. But once I get started writing, I just keep going until the first draft is done. I’m still working on fast drafting, but I do tag my documents with comment tags about things to check up on later or with ideas I have.

Editing comes next. Believe it or not, I actually love this step. There’s nothing like working on a story and making it better. I find the hardest part of the process just getting that first draft out. Some of my favorite parts of editing come from ideas that are created with my critique partners. After a couple of rounds of editing I’ll send my book off to beta readers. This is a great time for me to disconnect from the story. Usually during this time I try to take some classes and listen to podcasts on craft. I usually wait until I get feedback from all my beta readers before diving in. This way I can decipher issues that everyone had versus comments that might be more subjective. And even if they are subjective, they might spark an idea or a different path or even a new chapter to include.

Truthfully, I don’t think the need to edit ever stops. Even after a book is published I’ve found areas I want to fix or things I should’ve included. But there comes a time when we must send our book into the world and apply things we wished we could fix to the next manuscript.

Everyone’s writing style and process is different. There is no write or wrong way, no way that makes it any easier. My best piece of advice would be to do what works for you, but take time to understand your why. It will keep you going when you hit a point where you are struggling or are even contemplating giving up.

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Paris Wynters is a multi-racial author who writes steamy and sweet love East Coast stories that celebrate our diverse world. She is the author of Hearts Unleashed, The Navy SEALs of Little Creek series, Love On The Winter Steppes, and Called into Action. When she’s not dreaming up stories, she can be found assisting with disasters and helping to find missing people as a Search and Rescue K-9 handler. Paris resides on Long Island in New York along with her family and is also a graduate of Loyola University Chicago.

Website: http://www.pariswynters.com

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pariswynters

Called Into Action

“Fanning the flames of desire while extinguishing the embers of the past, “Called Into Action” is a scorching romantic thriller!”~InD’tale Magazine

They’ll find a way to work together. A young boy’s life depends on it.

Penelope Ramos has dreamed of being a K-9 search-and-rescue handler since she was a little girl. Armed with a quick mind and her German shepherd, Havoc, she rides into Maple Falls, Vermont, determined to get her certification. She isn’t expecting the gruff, unreadable park ranger assigned to evaluate her skills.

Park ranger Jay Gosling is a pro. It’s clear to him that neither Penelope nor her unpredictable canine has what it takes…although his boss feels otherwise. Whatever. Jay will never have to work with them and he has half a mind to escort them both right out of town. But when a young boy goes missing, he doesn’t have that luxury.

Working side by side tests their tentative peace, but Jay and Penelope are together on one thing: they’ll both do whatever it takes to find the missing child—before it’s too late.

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