After years of writing, I’ve become aware of little things I do in order to get into my “writing Zen.” Really, it’s more about things I’ve learned about how my mind works on stories and the best ways to help that process.
Have you ever thought about your own writing process? I know I haven’t consciously thought about it, except recently. I think it’s one of those things—I love psychology and really love delving into the “What’s” and “Why’s” behind why people do things.
For my own self, I’ve always been totally metagrobolized (sorry couldn’t resist using a word I’ve never used before in my life . . . and probably never will again) about how my brain pan works on and comes up with stories.
I’ve realized, after all these years, there are patterns there—some actual methods to my madness.
The first is story ideas. I have tried to pay attention because sometimes it seems stories come out of thin air and are sparked by seemingly unrelated things. Such is not the case. For my Darby books I’ve always had a fascination with the adventure serial and wanted to emulate it with my own concoction of characters. I knew I wanted a main character who was female: smart and logical, clever and a problem solver, but not always confident and with some social awkwardness to her, who would fit in with some really crazy characters.
Morana’s Blades came out of left field and it was never on my radar to write. IT just showed up in my head one morning (in the shower while I was half asleep). MB knocked on my door and basically took over what I was working on and didn’t let up until it was all down on the pages. I know where the basic idea came from, but it wasn’t an idea I’d been actively pursuing. However, the kernel that drove the story had been in the recesses of my thought processes for a long time. While I’m not exactly sure what jump started it, there were a couple of catalysts that I won’t get into because it will spoil the surprise :).
I’ve learned that taking walks and runs fuel my creativity. I usually listen to music while I’m doing those two things and often I work out story troubles or even come up with new ideas as I’m plodding down the street, my mind off in a million different directions. It’s where Ghost Boy started and even ideas I have for Ryker—which I haven’t written yet. I’ve also solved issues when I’ve written myself into a corner or thrown something at Collin or Darby and can’t figure out where to go next.
I know this is a longer blog, but I think there’s merit in peeling back some of the mystique to the writing process. At least so far as figuring out how to use those unconscious methods to jump start new projects or fix ongoing ones.
Having said that, I don’t want to completely know how it all works. Some of the fun is having those magic moments when an epiphany hits me right between the proverbial eyes, and I get that endorphin exhilaration of knowing exactly how my book is going to end or “seeing” where the character is heading next.
I had it happen yesterday. I’m working on the second Outworlders novel, and while walking on the elliptical (way too cold to walk last night!) and listening to music and sort of watching TV, I “saw” the end of the second book. I know how it will end and lead into the third book, even the details with some of the characters. It always wow’s me when I get those snippets because it’s like everything just comes together in one big punch.
I still don’t know what triggered it, specifically—was it the song playing at the time, something on the TV, or just my mind unplugged? Whatever, I saw it and it’s in my brain pan. I know where I’m working toward and can sync up the end with where I’m at.
So food for thought: how does your mind work through stories and what can you do to help that process if you can figure it out in order to help feed the stories?
Craig