Category: Writing & Creative Process

I believe there is a natural rhythm to the unfolding of reality, and if we harmonize with it, we are gifted with inspiration and/or positive synchronicities that seem to materialize against all odds. I believe this internal harmony is what gives rise to optimal creative expression. And even if it requires an outward display of…

As frustrating as it might sound, I believe intuition and feelings have the final say in what I write and publish. The alternative is to ping-pong back and forth between established standards and technical theories on what makes something “good.” Sure, I might be able to construct a checklist based on technicalities that proclaims something…

There’s plenty of writers who have written bad things. Most first drafts are probably close to unreadable. In my opinion, that isn’t the point. Writing is a process of self-discovery, where you reflect on exactly what you want to say, and critique yourself (while editing), so you convey your assertions and philosophies in the most…

Personally, I believe creativity is one of humanity’s default attributes. Some people create something resembling perpetuation (I say resembling because technically, you can never truly perpetuate something exactly as is–the universe is always in a different configuration of matter and energy from moment to moment), and some people create in a way that expresses an…

I believe humans naturally exercise creativity. Even if it isn’t a “creative pursuit,” such as painting, writing, music, etc, I believe humans are gifted with spontaneous inspiration and ideas. In my opinion, it’s simply a matter of channeling and directing this impulse, instead of forcing it into a so-called “creative pursuit.” The most gratifying expression…

The beauty of writing is that you can edit your manuscript to your heart’s content. I’ve edited chapters down to a single page, turned run-on paragraphs into a single line, expanded a single scene into an entire book. You can subtract or add words until you express yourself as best as you can. There’s no…

I’m sure there’s techniques and methodology to increasing book sales, or writing so that others look favorably on my work. I’ll give them consideration–maybe implement them if it feels right or appropriate–but not if it compromises my enjoyment of writing. Financially speaking, writing is a terrible way to make money, compared to other more reliable…

Personally, I find it really cool when I don’t really understand a movie or story, but I am still entertained by it. I attribute this to rhythm–rhythm between words, paragraphs, scenes, and chapters. Without rhythm, narrative breaks down into a technical explanation. The rhythm is what hooks my subconscious, drawing it in with a hypnotic…

Throughout the process of writing a book, my characters often surprise me with actions and behaviors I never would have expected. For me, that’s an incredibly fun part of writing–I have an idea of the bigger picture, the overarching themes and larger events, but the specifics often manifest as delightful surprises.

I love writing for a lot of reasons, but one of them is the ability to do it without figuring everything out beforehand. I like that I can go in with a vague idea, usually a handful of climactic scenes or ill-defined premises, and write my way toward them without knowing exactly how I’ll finalize…