I carry a notebook with me wherever I go as you never know when inspiration can strike. Most of my ideas start off as unusual words or phrases I have overheard. I create pages full of these random words and have recently started dating them too in order to keep track of them. Some, I may never find a use for, but it is better to have them written down just in case as some I have used many years later. Once I have used that word, I will cross it out so that I have less chance of rewriting something like it. I find writing in a notebook the best place for my ideas on the go as it is quick and there is less chance of me losing it.
Sadly, some places are not accommodating for a notebook such as when going to the shops or being at work (you really never know when inspiration will strike!) For occasions such as this, I will adapt to my surroundings. I always bring my phone with me when going out of the house, so I have compromised in using the notes app on my phone. Although, I’d recommend writing any ideas down as soon as you can due to having lost them between articles or passwords before! In places such as work that ban notebooks and phones, I use till receipt paper to sneakily write down ideas. Many different characters seem to walk into the shop so I can get an idea based on something someone is wearing or what they are getting or how they talk to me. Be careful not to base characters too closely to real people without consent, but you can take creative liberty when using something such as a pair of earrings a stranger is wearing and what that means to you.
While writing a novel, I tend to sit at my computer or in the library for hours on end and freely write before looking over it to edit at a later date. Before I can begin to write, I like to plan extensively so that I can have an idea of where things are heading before I write it. For characters I do not know the names of, I will use abbreviations such as “MC” for main character or “best friend” for the main character’s friend to give myself a sense of what that character’s role is. Sometimes the name will come alongside the character idea as I had no trouble naming characters such as Jonah or Katy when the names come with implications for what their fate is going to be. I like to write my novel ideas at my computer as it is a bigger screen that gives me access to jump in and edit whereas my notebooks start to get hard to follow with arrows drawn, bits crossed out and smaller writing over the already existing words. I like to proofread anything before submitting it. Even though we have an amazing editorial team here at Beyond the Walls, I would recommend checking through your work before submitting it as sometimes you can get caught up in what you are writing and lose sight of the SPAG. One hilarious mistake I have made in the past was writing “if you can get a life” rather than what I had meant to write which was “if you can get a lift.” Obviously, the meaning changes drastically!
I would recommend keeping to a schedule as to when you can write. I try to write a little bit every day – even if I do end up scrapping that idea. It is better to have written something than nothing at all. I find that writing daily allows me to come up with many different pathways that my writing could go down. It has also allowed me to get into the habit of writing a certain amount of things in a certain timeframe.
Writing in itself can be beneficial for your mental health. Instead of getting caught up in your emotions, using feelings such as fear or stress to write about a similar moment in one of your characters’ lives can be a way to relieve your own tensions. Writing has also been scientifically proven to help with memory. I remember visiting a lovely lady named Joyce who would keep a diary full of things she has done, or that people have said in order to keep a record of her days at the care home as they could sometimes blend together. I think her outlook on life was inspirational as she remained happy in a very isolating place.
For writing poetry and script, I tend to focus more on the smaller things that can hint towards a bigger picture. I find that poetry allows me to tackle more mature topics that would likely dominate the storyline had it featured in a novel. Topics such as mental health can be explored in a novel but may get sidelined or stereotyped in the horror genre. Instead, something like that needs to be a standalone snapshot of someone’s story. I feel that poetry can allow for a focus on a particular moment, especially if you use the right words. I find that writing a poem in a theme whilst using a lot of metaphors can help people decode the meaning. As for script, I find it useful to focus on smaller moments just like with poetry but flip the script and focus more on the implications of what characters are saying. It is what is implied or goes unsaid that makes this technique work for me.
As a last resort, I find questions very useful prompts to write about. I bought a book full of JUST questions in 2022 and it was one of the most useful tools I have found to break writer’s block. Sometimes they might be random or mundane such as “what is your favourite colour?” and that may seem rather childish for my character who is a private investigator, but it helps to add a bit more personality to her outside of her main plotline. However, I find the juicier questions more revealing about my characters. Questions such as “what distracts you the most every day?” and “have you ever hit rock bottom” are the best at unearthing things about my characters or getting me personally as a writer to think about something new.
My process of writing would not be complete without the writing community I am a part of. For many years, it was just me and my writing (not counting the many times I’d force my grandma to read my work). However, I found that the process itself did not feel complete as my work would often sit there after the entire process and collect dust on a shelf. Putting your work out there, in whatever sense, should be counted in the process. It is a big enough step to share your work with another person, whether that be a friend or family member. As a writer, I would encourage you to try and interact with the writing community. There are plenty of platforms online that allow writers to share their passion with others. It is amazing to find a writing community within your local area too – I attend open mics which allow me to meet fellow writers of all age groups who have a passion and appreciation for the same underrated art form. Although it seemed scary to read out my work at first, the community itself is very supportive and I have made wonderful friends there. I am also a part of the newly established Inkwell Society on campus at York St John and am pleased to say that it is a wonderful space for workshopping outside of lessons and a very friendly space. It is useful for receiving constructive feedback in a judgement free zone. Being a part of the writing community has shaped my writing process for the better.
– Faye Simpson
This blog post is in collaboration with the 2025 Beyond the Walls Anthology. The anthology is now available to pre-order from Valley Press here before its release on the 22nd of May 2025. The cohort behind the anthology are constantly producing high quality work surrounding the publication. You can find similar blog pieces in collaboration with the anthology here on the Where Ideas Grow blog. You can also listen to their podcast episodes on Spotify and find updates on the anthology on their social media platforms, all linked below.