Writing is a lot of things. Writing offers different benefits to different writers. Writing involves many processes, goals, activities, projects, dreams and fantasies, rewards (for both the writer and the reader).

In this series of posts, I’m going to discuss writing, both fiction and nonfiction, for books, articles, blog poses, screenplays (which are the types of texts I produce). What is involved in writing for me? These posts will be presented in no particular order. The views are mine based on my own goals, likes and dislikes, experiences, and other filters of life.

The posts will cover issues from the writing as an activity that builds on success to writing is like a zebra.

I’d love to hear from you about your experiences, your labeling of writing. Leave a comment below and we’ll all learn from your experiences.

So let’s get started with a short one.
WRITING IS A RECURSIVE PROCESS

Recursive means to repeat, or to return to one’s memory, thought, or discourse.

Writing is a recursive process. The writer can return to a previous stage of the writing process while working on a later stage. In other words, while you’re revising a manuscript, you’ll find yourself thinking of new ideas that could be included in the text. So you’re planning or brainstorming while revising.

You can also advance to the end while still at the beginning; that is, you find yourself revising and editing while drafting. I don’t recommend this, but some writers swear by it. I prefer to “Keep Writing Forward,” as I discuss in my book, WRITE THAT BOOK! The Prewriting Process (available on ploegersservices.com).

I once had just such a situation while revising a book manuscript. I was fairly happy with the way the book had turned out. Suddenly, I had a thought that the book was not organized the best way possible. Deciding on an organizational strategy is something you normally do in prewriting, not during revision. After my initial groan, I realized this new idea was valid, so I reorganized the book, making it much better than with the first version.

This issue of writing can add to the frustration level, especially if you then have to toss a bunch of writing you thought was pretty good and start over.

Sometimes these ideas for changes can be ignored, if you simply don’t have the time before the deadline to make the changes. But if you’re self-publishing, as I do, then you have the time. In any event, you have the obligation to make the book as useful to the reader as possible. If that change means reorganizing the entire book by a new strategy, then that’s what you must do.

Have you had this recursive process happen to you? Post a comment and talk about your experience. How did the change turn out? Did the new idea make the writing better, despite the added effort? Or was it a waste of effort?

Do you want to use this blog in your ezine or on your blog? You have permission, as long as you send notice of publication with a link, to katie@ploegersservices.com,

and include the following paragraph with links intact in your post:
Katherine Ploeger, MA, MFA, is a writer, teacher,  consultant. She publishes practical, process-oriented information for nonfiction writers and screenwriters on her blog, Katie’s Writing Notes.  Also check out her information at http://www.ploegersservices.com.