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By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Writers approach their work in different ways. Some thrive on detailed outlines and carefully planned scenes. Others prefer to begin with a blank page and discover the story as they write. Many find success somewhere between those two extremes.

No single method is right or wrong. Each approach offers the freedom to create in a way that best suits a writer’s personality, experiences, and goals.

One of the most valuable discoveries a writer can make is understanding how their mind works. Personality assessments can provide insight into how we process information, solve problems, interact with others, and approach creative endeavors. One tool I recommend is Myers-Briggs, although many other assessments are available for those interested in exploring their preferences.

Understanding yourself as a writer can help you identify the process that allows your creativity to flourish.

1. Writers Who Prefer Structure

Some writers develop a manuscript through detailed planning and organization before writing the first chapter.

Advantages include:

• Major story decisions are made before drafting begins.
• A clear roadmap guides the writing process.
• Plot holes and inconsistencies are often discovered early.
• Revisions may be less extensive because much of the work has been completed in advance.

For these writers, creativity often shines during the planning stage.

2. Writers Who Prefer Discovery

Other writers find joy in beginning with little or no outline.

Advantages include:

• The excitement of discovering the story as it unfolds.
• Unexpected characters, scenes, and plot developments.
• A sense of adventure throughout the drafting process.
• Greater flexibility when inspiration strikes.

For these writers, creativity often flourishes while writing and continues to evolve during revision.

The Freedom to Write Your Way by @DiAnnMills on @BRMCWC #Writing #Writinglife #BRMCWC Share on X

3. Writers Who Blend Structure and Discovery

Many writers combine planning with spontaneity.

Advantages include:

• A flexible framework that provides direction without restriction.
• Freedom to adjust characters, scenes, and plotlines as the manuscript develops.
• Opportunities to refine original ideas through discovery.
• Adaptability when the story takes an unexpected turn.

These writers view changes not as setbacks but as opportunities to strengthen the manuscript.

The Method Isn’t the Magic

The process you choose has little bearing on the quality of your fiction or nonfiction. What elevates a manuscript is clarity, compelling content, accuracy, originality, reader engagement, and professionalism in research, grammar, punctuation, and presentation.

The goal is not to write like someone else.

The goal is to discover how you write best.

Curious About Your Style?

Take a few moments to reflect on your writing process. You may discover patterns that help you understand yourself as a writer.

1. What aspects of writing come most naturally to me?
2. When do I feel most creative—during planning, drafting, or revising?
3. What habits consistently help me complete a project?

Consider these additional questions:

• Does my writing process depend on structure? How?
• Do I thrive when following my imagination wherever it leads? How?
• Does my best work emerge from blending planning and spontaneity?
• Is there a need to refine my current writing system? If so, what steps can I take?

Every writer deserves the freedom to develop a process that supports their creativity and productivity.

Discovering how your mind organizes and communicates ideas is one of the most liberating aspects of the writing life.

How do you begin a writing project?

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who invites her readers to step into stories where suspense meets adventure and romance warms the heart. Known for crafting unforgettable characters tangled in unpredictable plots, DiAnn believes every breath we take unfolds a story waiting to be told—so why not make it thrilling?

Her novels have consistently landed on bestseller lists including CBA, ECPA, and Publishers Weekly, and have won prestigious awards such as the Christy, Selah, Golden Scroll, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol awards.

DiAnn is a founding board member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Conference Advisor for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers. She actively participates in Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, International Thriller Writers, Outliers Writing University, and The Christian Pen. DiAnn passionately invests in helping fellow authors succeed through mentoring, book coaching, and editing. She travels nationwide speaking and teaching engaging writing workshops.

A proud coffee snob who roasts her own beans, DiAnn also enjoys diving into good books, experimenting in the kitchen, and unabashedly spoiling her grandchildren—whom she insists are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband make their home under the sunny skies of Houston, Texas.

Connect with DiAnn online for behind-the-scenes glimpses, writing tips, and lively discussions: Facebook, X, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, BookBub, YouTube, LinkedIn, or her website: diannmills.com.