My process of writing....

I say 'my' because I am sure I am not following any standard there is. Of course though, I start with something maybe unique to me. Identifying an abandon house in Maine.

Find the house - This could be in any shape. Some are only foundation holes, some are in some state of disrepair and others are fairly maintained but not being used as home. I see a lot of houses and I take the ones that draw me in.

Research its history - when was it built and by whom. I go through the house and wander the grounds. What was the family story, what was going on in the local area of the home and how does that relate to its surroundings. I do a lot of historical research, online and in person. I've walked through woods, taken boats down rivers or over seas, taken formal historical tours, and sunk my nose into lots of maps! Most the time I find some pretty fascinating stuff to use and that is what I really enjoy about writing.

Start Plotting - What story do I want to tell about this house. I will use as much as I can about the real people that lived there in its most worthy time period.

Characters - Who do I need to tell this story? Sometimes that expands as I go. My characters need personas and typically I use personalities of people I know. That gives me a picture in my mind when I am writing what they say or do.

Plot - well I loosely plot. I write by the seat of my pants interweaving the historical events, portraying the area of Maine I am working with and the interactions of characters. I am trying harder to make sure I am following a narrative arc from the beginning vs. woops, fix it. I am also trying harder to outline based on the requirements of some publishers.

Revise, revise, revise.... I tend to stay away from cliche endings. I love the ending to Ahabs Wife.

I have to keep in check on writing with the 5 senses, smell is the one I leave out most often. I share parts of the story with friends if I am really excited about it or need help.