Monday, February 16, 2009

On Inspiration and Flow

I have gotten several requests for a run-down on the process I use to write. I've decided to post it on one condition - that you understand this isn't any sort of well tested, tried and true method. It's what works for me.
My brain was flooded with thoughts. It became overwhelming as I sat there trying to write as you would read - from start to finish. I would get a fantastic idea and want to hurry to get there... In an order to become more sane, I decided to go with another process.
I made an outline, or at worst a list, of the order in which the book should follow. For Example:
Intro
First Meeting
Drinks with friends
Chance Encounter
Gets job
... you get the idea. I did this all the way through. It made me feel better - like there was a backbone to this new creation.
So then when I had a great idea, or when a piece came to me in a dream, I could write it out and label it with the label it fell under. Yes, it's all over the place. Nothing came to me in order.
But what I then do is piece everything together like a puzzle. I do have to write the transitions from one piece to the other.
Where it stands now, I have about 200 pages written, but about 50 from the start that are continual to the story. Part of the fun is figuring out how to get from one point to the other.
So there you have it - my controlled chaos writing style!

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