Writers: What is your writing process? How do you plan out your writing?

I honestly don't have much of a process. I usually start with a genre and an idea, then I name my characters. Usually that's all I have when I start writing. The story usually unfolds as I go along. Sometimes I haven't even figured out the plot until I'm 30k words in. It definitely makes for a lot of editing later, but I get bored if I try to plan everything out.

My own personal experience: I have little note pads lying around and a recording app on my phone (I get so many ideas in bed, lights out lol.) I write it anything and everything I think of on them, not in any particular order. It goes on like this for about a few weeks and then poof, I think everything had fallen into place. I start writing and oops, nope, that doesn't work. Gotta change that. OOOOHHHH yeah I'm definitely killing him here. I don't bother re-reading or editing anything until at least fifteen chapters in. Then I just alter what's wrong. That's usually about the time I start doing my book file. Contains: Character pages, with physical description, my drawings of the character, pictures (eg, one character had a locket. Though I usually end up drawing key items too), personality, emotional turmoil and development through the story. Then I have a location section. A weapon section. A plot section. If I am writing something that has magic in it or creatures unknown, I write everything and every rule, biological functioning, flaws/strengths, political issues, etc etc.

But the book file only begins when I've written loads and is mainly to help me keep each line of the complex web where it's supposed to be.

I know someone who just writes it all out, and then goes back through it and another who has to write everything out, including incredibly detailed plot and sub plot outlines before writing. I swear, if there is a shopkeeper that has one line in the book, my friend will know his entire life story before writing him in.

There you go. Hope that's what you were looking for.

My method of writing probably won't help you very much, but you never know:

What I do is get a vague idea of what I want the story to be. Then I work on the characters, making sure I know who they really are. I also work on their world and do a fair bit of research on how it works. After that, I create a rough outline that I keep easily accessible, often in plain view. It goes over the major plot points of the entire story. Then I create a very detailed outline of the first couple of chapters to get me started down the right path. Beyond that, I reference the outline and if I see myself going off on a tangent, I reign myself in, make a quick note of the tangent (just in case), and get back to where I'm supposed to be going.

As for how I get my ideas flowing? I honestly often just daydream about the story I'm having difficulty with. Don't think about anything else specific beyond that. It has actually helped me solve some plot problems. Otherwise, just start writing. It might be hard to get the ideas flowing at first, but eventually you be able to immerse yourself into the story and the ideas will flow freely (that is the hope, at least).

On the topic of forgetting things, that is where the outline comes in again. Also write down any changes you make or anything that you come up with that may come in handy later in a separate document/piece of paper. Keep it handy so that you don't have to constantly search to see if you've forgotten about something.

I just let the story flow as I'm writing it, I never have a clear mind what to do next or I never outline any of my story. I do character profiles a little bit but how can one do a profile before writing a single line by that character or writing the first feeling/thought that comes to him. So basically there is no planning done on my part. If I do catch an Idea while out and about I use my phone's memo app.

It is hard to keep track where your characters are in a long piece. There are lots of books on how to write. (808 section in the public library). Some of those authors would probably advise you keep a loose-leaf file [I'm old fashioned and presume they are] or a Word file of what happens chapter by chapter, or, under each character's file, what happens to him / her in what chapter.

I don't think there is one best way, even for each individual. Sometimes authors will do writing exercises, like I'm doing when I answer questions here. Some will free-write. Some will re-read and revise their previous chapters. Some, who have planned what should go into each chapter, will read their plan for that chapter.

I sit down and get on with it. Sometimes (but not always) I know where I'm going, but I NEVER know how I'm going to get there.