Brilliant article I’ve had in my files for a while… Boy, does it help to see this again! Here’s an excerpt from http://www.passionatepen.com/stages_article.htm:
“I think a lot of new authors get really overwhelmed when they read published books because they can’t ‘write like that’. When they read the chapter or book they just finished by their favorite author, they cringe and immediately let self-doubt overtake them.
But the thing about writing is that it’s a lot like actors and actresses. Ever seen a really beautiful actress or supermodel without her makeup? Sure, lots are still stunning… but for many, it’s a sight to behold. Pimples. Bags. Wrinkles. It takes makeup and lighting for them to shine. But you’d never know that just from looking at the spread in Glamour Magazine.
The same goes for writing. There are very few authors who are able to sit down and churn out a 100,000-word romance and have the first draft be perfect. There are some, yes, but most of us go through some kind of process that gets us there. Whether they edit as they go along, or at the end. Whether they write in order or in scenes and sequels in no particular way, they have a lot of stages that get them to the keeper shelf.
So in the spirit of full disclosure, I present to you, the stages of writing… Jenna Petersen/Jess Michaels Style. Perhaps you’ll see some of your own stages of writing here:
Stage 1: Oh My GAWD, I have the best idea EVER!!
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Stage 6: Oh My GAWD, I’m writing the worst book EVER!”
The Little Writer That Could 