Is there a right way to write?

Since Stacey and I have been trying to organize our writer’s retreat for next weekend, it’s brought to mind a couple of topics that I don’t think I’ve addressed before. Or, if I (or Stacey) have, I don’t remember it. If the later is true, please pretend this is the first time you’ve read about it lol.

I’ve particularly been thinking about writing styles. Is there a specific method of writing that is better than another? For example, I am a very detail oriented writer. I take my time, I plan my scenes in detail with an outline, and it takes me a lot longer to produce a certain amount of words or pages because I am so picky about how my sentences sound as I write them. For Stacey, she is for the most part a “write-by-the-seat-of-your-pants” kind of writer. When she sits down to write the next chapter of a book, she gets it done. She writes whatever comes to mind as it comes and goes back to do a thorough edit later. In the mean time, she can double, sometimes triple, my word count for the day because while she’s working on her third of fourth chapter, I’m still on my first.

So, is there a right way to write?

I’m thinking the answer that question is no and I’ll tell you why. At the end of it all, Stacey and I end up near the same place in our writing because by the time she’s finished writing and then editing, I’ve caught up with her and the writing I’ve done is all ready edited (and when I say edited for both of us, I mean pretty much a quick run through that deals with very generalized issues) and we end up being on near equal footing again.

With our unique methods of writing in mind, I find myself wondering now how our writers retreat is going to go. We’ve all ready started creating a tentative agenda full of writing blocks, critique sessions, and communing with nature—which I’m oddly looking forward to lol. But with our separate methods of writing, it’s going to be interesting to see just how much we can get accomplished. Positive thinking is key! This retreat is going to charge up the internal batteries that have been drained by real life, it’s going to vamp up our inspiration meters, and it’s going to give us the opportunity to take a deep breath and reassess where our writing is going. I can’t wait. It’s going to be awesome and there will be pictures upon our return. Wish us luck!