Last week I was fortunate enough to take a much needed break to spend some quality time with my girlfriends in Napa, California. I was excited about tasting the wine and getting to see the rolling hills lined with grapes, but I was even more excited about the uninterrupted girl time with some of my oldest and dearest friends. We have all been friends since 4th grade and although we all live in different places across the country and don’t get to see or talk to each other nearly as much as we would like; we always pick up right where we left off. I knew with trying to get back on schedule that I might not have much time to write a post so I thought I would briefly discuss my creative process. I hope you will share with me what makes you feel your most creative and until next week, have a wonderful weekend and happy reading!

How does the creative process work? Well, it’s different for every person. Some might immerse themselves in art or get lost in a wonderful book and be inspired by beautiful imagery from a scene. Others may enjoy theatre while some might feel creative while observing a child’s imagination hard at work. My creative process is a bit messy. I start with a list of ideas that I think might be fun for T-rex and Tuck to explore…my favorite holidays, some of my kid’s favorite places, things that intrigue me (such as outer space) and then I leave it alone. I come back to the list to remind myself of the things I might enjoy writing a story about and then I wait for the spark of an idea to come!  Now, the funny thing about idea sparks is that you never know quite when they will show up.  Sometimes, it can be inconvenient if you get a spark of an idea right before bed…but don’t let those ideas slip away!

Once I start writing a story, I don’t like to stop until I finish the rough draft. I might start writing a little bit for the beginning of the story and then my mind takes me to the ending. I will scribble down how I will finish it and try to figure out how to get my story to end in that way. It is all over the place and you can hardly read my handwriting. That’s the other thing about my creative process; I am old school and I like putting pen to paper for the first draft. Or, perhaps even a pencil…smudges welcome.

Once I have a rough draft complete, I will read it out loud.  Reading the story aloud helps me identify any part that doesn’t quite flow. I might cross something out or add a line until I feel pretty good about it. Then I type it up and edit it on my own…but the thing is, sometimes we need an outsider’s perspective and for that, I have an editor proof it and make changes to things that I didn’t originally see or hadn’t thought about.  Everyone has a different take on their creative process and although mine is messy and all over the place, it works for me.

What is your creative process? Let me know in the comments below.