The creative writing process? Every day, I start my creative process by sitting at my computer reviewing e-mails while sipping my cup of coffee. I free write for inspiration, organize my files for deadlines, and get to work. Of course, like all things in life, interruptions happen. I am certain every writer has a different process for creativity. My best time to write is early morning, about 3am, when the world is quiet, inspiration and the Muse are dancing inside my head and I let the fingers dance across the keyboard.
I get into my clothes because I don't like to write in my pajamas, turn on my computer, sit down, check emails, and start writing. No big deal; I do it every day.
I need to read my email and think about my writing. My ritual includes checking the weather, local news, Drudgereport, Townhall.com, and my Twitter account.
I usually receive a manuscript outline from my Publisher (L&R Hartley - http://www.geocities.com/freepublish) and they will provide guidelines. My creative process begins only after a good night's rest.
It took a long time for me to get the book finished.
I did not want to write it actually. I was asked by so many others that I be the one to write a book like this that I finally gave in.
I started by carrying a n otebook with me everywhere and noting any ideas or memories. After a while I had so much that it was almost pointlkess to read the notes.
I put them away for a while and then one day just forced myself to sit in the chair, open a blank word processing page and start typing.
When my daughter would go to bed I would make up stories every night at bedtime. After she learned to read she would read until she was too tired to see and then grab my hand and tell me to make up a story.
Don't hate be because I am beautiful and have never suffered from writer's block. (Maybe it is more accurate to say I had writers block for about 40 years, but it just seems to want to come out whenever I can come up with the time to write) I can pull up what I was working on last and more just keeps coming out. I do outline my novels, but they will somtimes tell me the real story which may make the outline obsolete.
I use a different part of the brain for satire. An idea pops into my head and I can usually finish the piece in about ten minutes.
He, he, he. When the muse descends one must beckon to her call and heed it, don't you think? I can't really say how to describe the "steps" involved in my "creative" process. I just happens. The closest thing I can relate it to is when I'm playing jazz. When it's my turn to take a solo on whatever tune, it just flows out according to the mood I'm in and the structure and chord changes of the tune. I don't really consciously "sit down and write." Whenever the mood strikes, wherever it may occur, I write. I've written things on paper napkins at restaurants (and sometimes bars). Poetry, ideas for stories, music, song lyrics...they all just happen. You just have to "heed the call" and adapt to "put it down" wherever you're at and whenever it strikes.
I can't honestly say there IS a creative process. Normally it's just an idea that strikes me as interesting. I sit down and see what happens when I start to type.
I have a day job that gives me a lot of time to either think about plot lines or hanging myself. The plot lines are slightly less depressing. As for what happens before writing - cigarette, coffee, sit around for an hour tossing a ball against a wall, go for a walk, turn on music, turn off music, cigarette, coffee, "oh crap, it's already midnight".
My creative process is pretty straightforward: Sit. Write. When I'm really stuck on something, I might take a walk or a shower, read, doodle my thoughts on a piece of paper, or make a pot of tea to jump-start my creativity again.
I keep a notebook to write down ideas, questions and outlines of things I am working on. I'll quiz friends on their opinions of stories I'd like to develop. If the initial stages of developing a story are a bit of a slow slog, then along comes drafting rewrites. As a result of all this, I am a big advocate of the 40 hour work day as writing can be a very time consuming activity. It cuts into reading time, too!
Because writing is hard work I tend to find ways to put off the job. Laundry becomes very important when you are trying to avoid writing.
I need to have lots of information gathered before I feel confident enough to share insights with potential readers. I passed out 630 surveys to single people between the ages of 50 and 75+ and crunched the data they provided to be sure that my book represented more than just my personal opinions.
Reading the competition provided me with ideas about what could work and what was really very wrong with the dating advice books that were out there.
My creative process is sporadic at best. An idea will bang around in my head for awhile until it gets to the point where I can't stand it, I just have to sit down and write.
I have to be 'inspired' before I can actually feel as though I'm doing anything constructive. I check various newspapers and news feeds on line every day or so, looking for a story snippet that calls out to me. When I read something that creates that 'spark', I can't wait to begin writing. have file boxes full of those snippets, just waiting for me to find the time to pull one out and let my brain sizzle.
The creative process for writing novels is similar, although for those I tend to look back to ancient times. Life in the pre-C.E. fascinates me. So many 'what ifs'. |
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