I needed a blog topic, so I’m lifting Jordan’s writing meme! Things I’ve learned about my process:

1. I also need to write every day. If I’m “down” between projects, I still write in my journal, blog, write emails. Writing is daily practise.

2. I lose momentum if I take days off in the middle of a project. Better to schedule things between projects whenever possible.

3. The outlining from inside and set piece approach to plotting works really well for me. So does the three-act structure.

4. I’ve learned that I like to write complex stories with multiple storylines weaving together. Or maybe it’s better to call them layers.

5. I’ve learned that I write in two fairly distinct styles and for marketing purposes I intend to seperate them.

6. I’ve learned that reading is essential mental recreation and I try to squeeze in as much of it as I can, in every genre under the sun.

7. I’ve learned that I “slump” between projects. The bigger the project, the bigger the slump at the end. This is a period when I’m feeling the creative drain and need to be nice to myself. Stock up on good books to read, watch movies, play. It doesn’t last long, but there is always a post-project stage that seems to be part of the essential letting-go process for me, so that I can disengage myself from the story and treat it like a team project and something separate from me from that point on.