When I took my first steps on my writing journey, I was fascinated by other writers’ processes. I wanted to know how they worked—to shed the enigma of their rituals and routines that allowed them to summon worlds at their fingertips. From traditionally published authors like Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and Brandon Sanderson to indie trailblazers like Lindsay Buroker, Chris Fox, and the guys from Self-Publishing Podcast—I devoured every drop of information I could.

In reality, writing isn’t magic—it’s a craft. It may seem mundane, but it’s a time-tested process that gets words on the page.

Lock Down Your Lair.

Before my fingers even touch the keyboard, I start by choosing my writing location. This differs for everybody—some writers prefer public spaces like coffee shops or libraries, while others seek isolation in a home office or even on the couch. I’ve tried both, but as an introvert, I much prefer writing in the privacy of my home. I have a dedicated desk with my laptop open, my writing project already up and ready for me to begin.

Helpful tip: I also wear a set of headphones to isolate myself from any distractions. I prefer to listen to metal or electronic music while I write, but it took some practice to get there. White noise is a great alternative.

Map the Madness.

Before I start drafting, I typically begin with an outline. I keep my outlines loose and adjust them as I write, but they give me a solid starting point. I follow this same process, down to the individual scenes. When I sit down to write for the day, I review my outline and choose a scene. Then, in a notebook or another window, I type out the chain of events I envision for the scene, along with any details that might trip me up—such as side character names, business names, or research for unfolding events. I didn’t used to believe in this, but out of every process I’ve adopted—this one has helped the most with production.

Sprint Through the Shadows.

Writing is like a muscle. You need to train it consistently. If you skip too many days in a row, you’ll atrophy.

I tend to write in “sprints,” setting a timer and writing until it beeps. I don’t stop, I don’t edit as I go, and if I get stuck, I skip scene points. I can always improvise and refine later. At this point of the process, I’m more concerned about getting the story out.

When I started practicing writing sprints, I started with 10-minute intervals. After awhile, I built up to 20-minute intervals. Now, I tend to shoot for 30-minute intervals or just completing the entire scene before moving on. That’s training the writing muscle. Rinse and repeat until the first draft is completed. Sometimes, I will go over and touch-up scenes from the previous day, but most of the time, I wait until the entire draft is complete before even beginning to edit.

Polish the Guts.

After I finish my first draft, I start the second—my readthrough draft. I go through each scene, fixing grammatical errors and inconsistencies. If a scene needs a major rewrite, I take a note and move on. Once my readthrough has been completed, then I will go through my notes and weave in any changes that are needed.

The second draft is done. Now, I begin my listening draft. I review my manuscript using the text-to-speech function in Microsoft Word. Following along as the words are read aloud helps me catch errors I missed earlier. Since the audio playback is slower than reading silently, I also notice clunky prose and refine it as I go.

Now, the manuscript is ready for the outside world. Preferably starting with an editor.

Tricks When the Well Runs Dry.

Writing is a long, arduous journey. And there are a lot of stumbling blocks along the way. Here are a few suggestions that helped me dig myself out when I was cornered.

Not feeling the writing?

Don’t worry—every writer has those days. More often than not, I’ve found that a lack of motivation comes from being stuck on a scene. Spending extra time to dig in to the scene is worth the time-spend. Massage the writing beats. What’s missing? Do you need more conflict? Are the characters acting in ways that feel unnatural? Open another text window or grab a notebook and brainstorm solutions.

If that fails, I usually turn to the 10-minute rule. Which means, I’ll commit to writing for at least 10 minutes, no excuses. But if after the 10 minutes, the words aren’t flowing and I’m still not feeling it—I’ll allow myself to skip the rest of the day, guilt free.

Lacking inspiration?

I’ve been there too. Creativity is a well—it sometimes drains faster than it refills. When I get to this point, the number one way to get the creative juices flowing for me is to read another fiction book. I don’t know why, but reading is the fastest way for me to get pumped about writing. This might be different for you. I’ve heard other writers take breaks to watch movies in their genres, and others play video games similar to their projects. Whatever works for you—go enjoy and refill your creative well.

Is your writing slow-going?

I’ve been there too. A couple of things that help me are varying the time of day I write and tracking my word count. I’m a morning person. I love getting up before everyone else while it’s still dark, enjoying that time to myself in peace and quiet. I thought that would be my preferred time to write. But most of the time, my peak production is late at night. Try switching up when you write and tracking how many words you get out.

Which brings me to tracking word counts. It’s not magic, but it works. Once you start noticing your output, you’ll begin improving. Your subconscious will also pick up on the small stuff that boosts that number. You can’t improve upon what you don’t know. From what I’ve seen, most writers tend to use spreadsheets to track their word counts. I don’t know why, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I prefer to use notebooks, physically jotting down totals from every sprint and tallying them at the end of the week. Do what works for you!

Your Turn.

Writers love to talk shop, so I could go on for a while. But like every story, we’ve reached an endpoint. I hope I’ve helped dispel some of the magic surrounding writing routines, and maybe my process will help others begin their own writing journeys.

That’s my grind—how I crafted nightmares like Shotgun Grandma’s hordes or Hell Knight’s brutal beginnings. What’s your routine? Any tricks to slay writer’s block? Tell me on X @EvanGrantAuthor—I’m all ears.