If I can't be a dragon-whisperer, can I at least befriend a talking dog?
I was working on my next brain chain yesterday, and I hit a wall. I was groping for and snatching at ideas. The links didn't feel as organic or as appropriate as those in my previous brain chains, and I balked. I sensed I was making a mistake, pushing. Forcing something that should flow. Then... Continue Reading →
When I read Rachel Mankowitz's blog post about struggling to write music for some lyrics she'd heard, I could relate. How often have I had a spark of inspiration, a desire to do something, but never managed to follow through? Even when it's something I really care about, resistance to working on the project is... Continue Reading →
Writers, dancers, painters, and musicians all have something to teach us about how create. That's why I read my way through The History of Middle-Earth: Volumes 6 - 9. These books are about how J.R.R. Tolkien wrote his masterpiece Lord of the Rings. They try their best to show when and how he came up... Continue Reading →
In the whirlwind of November, when I am busy writing for NaNoWriMo*, it's easy to forget things I've learned in previous years. I start asking myself questions and am too tired to remember the answers. I forget basic things I once knew. This year I've made a list to refer to and I'm sharing it... Continue Reading →
My creative process is a cycle, which means I go through the same stages over and over and over and over again. You'd think I'd get used to each stage and know exactly what was coming, what to expect, and how to handle it. But that never seems to happen. Instead, I get bogged down,... Continue Reading →
