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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/17522
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I would say that if you're a coder by trade, then creative writing is very similar to creating a complex piece of code.

If you woke up tomorrow morning and decided to write a word processor in go (or some other random language you didn't know) It is unlikely that you're first few iterations would be anything to do with the word processor you want to write. It would be small test pieces to help you understand how the language worked.

Then once you had a decent grasp of how the language fitted together, you'd probably start planning the structure of the program, perhaps using the various source control and methodologies that are available.

So when you start writing a story use the same methodology you would use to write code. Pull out your favourite agile management tool (etc) and start creating a plan just as you would a piece of software.

So decide what the overall purpose (plan) of the story is, what does it need to convey from beginning to end. Then break that down into smaller pieces, maybe using a beginning / middle / end layout.

It is as much about understanding your approach and process as it is about sitting down and writing. If you're a coder you already have a very strong set of methodologies that you should be extremely familiar with. This is head and shoulders above what most writers can bring to their first pieces.

Mostly though, take your time, get to know yourself, and your own style, use the tools you have available (I actually store most of my writing in Github - it is a fantastic resource for managing creative writing) In time your confidence with this new language will develop and it will all compile a little more frequently!

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