I'm an author who comes from a family of detectives, including a grandfather who filled my childhood with true crime stories I learned not to repeat at daycare. My novel, CHASE HARLEM, won the grand prize for the Monroe-Walton Center for the Arts New Writers Contest 2021 as well as the 2023 Killer Nashville Claymore Award for Best Unpublished Investigator Novel. I've had had stories and poetry published in Sojourn Literary Magazine, Dewpoint Literary Magazine, The Moonlit Road, and Southern Quill. I've also sold stories to the podcast, Chilling Tales for Dark Nights. I'm represented by Rachel Beck of Liza Dawson Associates.
Finding a Writing Process that Works for You
Published 3 months ago • 3 min read
Finding a Writing Process that Works for You
February 10, 2026
Hello Reader,
This is week two of my unsolicited writing advice, so I hope you're enjoying it so far!
One thing I've noticed when I'm working the workshop circuit is that every author has a different process. Even if I follow James Patterson's unique outlining practice to a "T", there will be differences. If you're new to writing, this is an important thing to keep in mind: don't compare yourself to other writers. There is no wrong or right way to write a novel.
That said, authors generally lump themselves into one or two categories: plotters or pantsers.
A plotter is a writer who plans everything. This is the person doing character sheets for every character and outlines for every plot point. Generally speaking, this is the person who needs a plan. Most of the time, I'm a plotter, but we'll talk more about that in a moment.
If you're reading this, and you feel like you're more of a plotter, I have a book for you to read! Save the Cat Writes a Novelis a step-by-step beat sheet, basically an outlining process for beginners. It's helpful especially if you're writing genre fiction, and if I'd read it before finishing my first novel, that book might have had a chance at being published rather than being the poorly-paced slog that it is. If you're a plotter, but you're not sure how to plot, this book is for you.
For most of my books, I follow the Save the Cat process and do a beat sheet first before writing a more detailed outline that shows what will happen in each chapter. That outline helps not just in my process but also with getting book deals.
A pantser is an author who "flies by the seat of their pants." Basically, they have no outline, no character list, no backstory notes. These are the people who can sit down in front of a computer and the story flows from their finger tips. Believe it or not, Lisa Jewell and Karen White are both pantsers, and this process works brilliantly for them.
I was at a conference where Lisa Jewell said she actually prefers not to think about her next book until she sits down to write it. At the time I heard her say this, I was struggling to finish my most recent novel. I had the outline and the character sheets, but none of those characters where doing what I wanted them to do. So, I followed a great author's advice, and I threw out my outline. Surprisingly, it worked!
The lesson I learned with that book was that most authors are a little bit of both pantser and plotter, so you have to do what is best for the novel you're writing.
If you're a new author writing your first book, pick a process to try out and get to work. Whatever style you choose, set a daily word count goal (I usually write 1,200 words a day, but you pick based on what you have time for), and commit to making progress each day. Find an accountability partner, and write!
Recommended Reads:
The Spies of Escondida
Welcome to Escondida—a sun-drenched island nation where danger hides behind every festive parade and palace wall, and love blooms in the heart of every mission.
Scarlett Chase loves her job as an interior designer. She’s doing well and moving up in the company. But is someone trying to sabotage her? Some unfortunate events at the office make her wonder.
Jenna never wanted to be a cheater, but college life led her down a dark path. Now someone knows her secret, and they want $2,000 to keep quiet. The meeting place: an abandoned ranger station deep in the forest where no one will witness the exchange.
Jessie's marriage of convenience lands her at the center of a fabulous conspiracy, and she's responsible for instigating it. She's never been on her own. In violent, unlawful frontier Skagway, she must learn to survive.
I'm an author who comes from a family of detectives, including a grandfather who filled my childhood with true crime stories I learned not to repeat at daycare. My novel, CHASE HARLEM, won the grand prize for the Monroe-Walton Center for the Arts New Writers Contest 2021 as well as the 2023 Killer Nashville Claymore Award for Best Unpublished Investigator Novel. I've had had stories and poetry published in Sojourn Literary Magazine, Dewpoint Literary Magazine, The Moonlit Road, and Southern Quill. I've also sold stories to the podcast, Chilling Tales for Dark Nights. I'm represented by Rachel Beck of Liza Dawson Associates.
