A few years ago, I decided that the time had come. I would make bread. My house would be filled with that wonderful aroma and I could finally look a picture of Martha Stewart in the eye. I read the recipe. It looked to be fairly simple; wake up the yeast with some warm water and sugar and then mix it all together. Let it rise. Punch down the dough, form it into loaves and let it rise again. Bake. I assembled my ingredients. Why hadn’t I attempted this years ago? Many, many hours later I had my answer. My dough was a flat soggy mess and my kitchen looked as if a tornado had decided to come home to roost. Bread isn’t easy. The yeast can’t be rushed; it takes the time it takes. Read the instructions carefully. Be prepared for the unexpected.
Writing is the same.
Read the recipe. Write an outline. It’s up to the individual author on how detailed it is, but write one. Mine are fairly detailed; I write notes giving the main events in each chapter. I find great comfort in knowing every time I lose my way I can check my outline.
Assemble Your Ingredients. These are your characters. Your outline is going to give you a fairly good idea how many you need, but write each of them down. Start asking questions. Have you given each of them the correct name? Who knows who? I write mini-biographies for each of my main players which I find a huge help when I start putting words in their mouths.
Mix it All Together. This is when you write your first draft. It’s messy and it often doesn’t go the way you want it to. Keep plugging away and slowly that magic word count will start to look respectable. Shortcuts get you nowhere; there is no quick way to write a first draft.
Let It Rise. I like to take some time away from a project once I’ve completed the first draft. It gives me time to gain some distance so that when I return, I can look at my writing with fresh eyes. Time lets me see any huge holes in my plots or any inconsistencies in my characters’ behaviour.
Punch it Down and Let it Rise Again. The editing process (mine, not my editor’s). This may turn into a completely new draft, depending on what I see. Then there’s the notes from my editor. Edit again.
Bake. It’s gone. Nothing left but wait to enjoy (or pace and wonder what you forgot).
The biggest lesson? You can’t rush bread. You can’t rush writing. It takes the time it takes. Best of luck with your bread!
Elspeth Antonelli
http://elspeth-itsamystery.blogspot.com
Twitter: @elspethwrites
Elspeth – What a wonderful analogy! It’s a really important point to remember, too. Writing doesn’t happen instantly or magically. It happens after a lot of hard work, and as the ideas (plot and characters) work together to create that delicious whole – the finished product. You’ve given me something yummy to think about : ).
Yes, I’m up this early.
Yes, now I am SO hungry for homemade bread. Thanks a lot, Elspeth.
And, yes, I ate up your analogy. Perfect. I’ve reread it because it captures the process so aptly for me.
I should’ve known you’d never be half-baked in your helpful, oven-fresh advice.
Great post, Elspeth! I love your advice, although I don’t do a detailed outline. I always start with my characters. Hmm, suddenly I have the urge to bake…
I like the let it rise part–so crucial for the perfect loaf, er manuscript.
BTW, try using a bread machine. Just throw in the characters, add a little plot and prose, and voila!
Elspeth, This is so good. I hadn’t thought about writing being like a recipe. I am a structured person (probably too much) and it gets in my way sometimes, but your post makes sense. I will “post” this post on my bulletin board where I write.
Wonderful post. My sister-in-law is a pro at making bread and can whip out a fresh-baked loaf in half the time I can. Sometimes it’s the same with writers–some can whip stories out.
First of all, thank you Elizabeth, for the opportunity of guesting posting on your wonderful blog.
Margot; Wouldn’t it be lovely if it could be magic? Although, maybe not…
Glen; Thanks for your kind words. I feel covered with jam.
Elizabeth; Aren’t you kind! Thanks again.
Jemi; Thanks! Bake away! Baking is never bad.
Diane: I can bake bread now…let’s hope my writing has improved along with my bread skills!
Alan; You can’t use a bread machine if you want to look a picture of Martha Stewart in the eye.
Glynis; Thanks!
Journaling Woman; Thank you! I’m flattered.
Tara; I have envy in my heart for both the bakers and the writers.
Not a problem in my house. I’ve already scratched the eyes out of all the Martha Stewart portraits I have hanging up.
Thank you, Elspeth. This is exactly what I needed to hear today. I have lots of false starts in my writing folder. I have a history of getting very excited about ideas, but trouble seeing them to fruition if they take too long.
This post reminds me that it is worth the wait. Like the smell of bread, the smell of success can waft through your life and fill your soul with hope and happiness. Timely for me. Thanks.
Michele
SouthernCityMysteries
Marvelous metaphor. I couldn’t agree more! I’m a preparation freak myself, and it makes all the difference in my writing. The more detailed my preparations, the better my writing. Full stop.
Great analogy. Now I want fresh bread!
Alan; You defaced Martha! You’re a brave man.
Michele; I’m glad you find it useful. Thanks for the kind words.
K.M.; Preparation is everything. You can’t build a house on a shaky foundation.
Carol; Thanks! I may be baking some today…
Elspeth–I love this analogy! Wonderful. And you’re absolutely right about the steps we take to prepare a manuscript and the time it takes to finish it. Thanks so much for helping me out today!
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
And now you may think this post is helpful, but even though I can read a recipe like anyone else, I have never been able to add the magic touch it takes to transform the ingredients into something eatable ;)
I’m a big believer in outlines as well!
Sorry the bread didn’t work out. It’s one of the few baking items I can actually do well…
This analogy is so helpful to me. I truly thought fiction writers have this magical ideas and characters floating in their heads and it just pours out onto the pages. This is great!
karen
A great post and so true, we have to have patience for both.
I love this, too, Elspeth, and I find “it takes the time it takes” very inspiring. You are right about all the steps, but my personal favorite is “Assemble the Ingredients.” Asking all those questions about characters, moving them around on one’s mental “counter” to see how they’ll mix, visualizing who and what they’ll be, a little dab of this or that—perfect!
I love baking bread also, but baking pies I find closest to a Zen writing practice—I’ve got the basics down now, but every time I still get a different result.
Dorte; Channel your inner Dory (from Finding Nemo) Just keep trying, trying, trying…
Karen; I’m glad you liked it. I’m sure the process is different for every writer, but I find pre-planning saves a great deal of time in the end. You need to have creativity with a large amount of practicality!
Martha; Thanks for the kind words. I love assembling the characters and figuring out how big a role each of them will play. Fun times! Oh, and I make magnificent pies.
Great analogy tho I never bake!
Happy Halloween!
Chris Verstraete
Searching for a Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystey – bff’s, a missing mini painting and a nosy Dachshund = a fun kid’s mystery!
Elizabeth; I’m glad you liked it. Yes, time away from the beast is essential, I think.
Jan; An elaborate Moroccan stew would make a fascinating book; highly spiced and chock-a-block full of interesting ingredients!
I especially relate to the stepping away, (let it rise), tip, as it really puts a little distance and that helps detach a bit so that you can be more impartial. Great post Elspeth!
thanks Elspeth! Now I’m not a bread baking gal – my sweet patootie does the baking mostly because I don’t like following recipes so I improvise – not good with bread! But I can, so I suppose I can write an outline too (oooooh- no I can’t) – the rest I’m with you on. Can I make a rather elaborate Moroccan stew instead?
Excellent analogy, Elspeth, and very well written article. I even bookmarked the permalink on this post.
Marvin D Wilson
I love your analogy but strongly disagree with the advice to outline. Writing — when you consider ALL the steps of the process, as you’ve named them above — does take time. But the actual writing part (ie: putting words on paper) should be fast.
I always say: write in haste and edit at leisure.
The best substitute I know for outlining is mindmapping. Much faster and easier and much more intuitive.
Daphne; Good grief, you’re a voice from the past. We debated against each other in high school. I’m sorry you disagree with me, but outlining is what works for me. Your words of “actual writing should be fast” would lead to disaster (for me). I find mind mapping too chaotic.
Jan; Wow! There’s a coincidence! That’s rather nifty.
Daphne! I’m a mind-mapper and in fact my non professional sleuth in the book I just finished mind maps and thus helps the pros solve the case!
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