Writing as an INTUITIVE
Get into the flow…
You write intuitively - either freewriting or with a very loose outline. Or if you are honest - the story tends to write itself, and you are just along for the ride. You change direction easily, and have a vague feeling that it will all come together in the end, and if it doesn't - that is what editors are for!
You sometimes feel as if you have too many ideas, and use the spotlight method - like shining a flashlight right in front of you - to decide what to work on next.
But you can sometimes get overwhelmed with too many ideas, and the concern that you could go off in several different directions. And any suggestion of having rigid plans makes you shudder. For you to complete your project, you need to get past the too-much-choice-dilemma and stay focused.
Here are 3 ways that you can do that.
Loose outline. Even intuitives can have a loose outline, to help keep you pointed in the right direction. Of course you will probably stray away from it, but sometimes it can be a good tool to keep you from getting too far off track, especially if you are working with some type of deadline.
This outline can be based on themes instead of strict categories, and using post it notes that you can move around or technology such as trello can help you keep track if you start to stray as you are writing.
And make no mistake - there is nothing wrong with straying. Stories can have a mind of their own. This is just so that you don’t get too lost in the process.
Use the spotlight method. I mentioned this above. This is like when you are walking in the dark, using a spotlight to see what is directly in front of you. You just need to know what is coming next and work on that. And if you have a loose outline, then you can go back to that if you get stuck.
Hiring a developmental editor. There are different types of editors that you can work with. A developmental editor helps with the structure of the content, its organization, and tone of voice.
If you feel as if you have written a lot but haven’t made a lot of progress, working with a developmental editor can be helpful so that you can organize your thoughts and ideas in a way that translates well to the reader.
Ultimately, the most useful thing for every writer is to know your writing style and understand what conditions you need to make the most of it.
If you want to explore that more, check out my “Let’s write Success Guide” - a video training with an accompanying workbook - that I have created. It comes with a video that goes more deeply into the topic, and prompts and exercises that empower you to start strong, and improve your chances of success as you write YOUR way.
You can grab that resource here.
And I love sharing ideas, examples and my own personal experiences about what helps get through blocks when writing. Now that you are on my mailing list (and if you aren’t join here), you’ll receive my bi-weekly blog posts on this topic, as well as on strategy that will keep you writing until you reach your goals!
Want to learn about the other writing styles? Click on the links below.