During a recent conversation with another fantasy enthusiast and writer I was reminded of the importance of note-taking. Even if you have a partial idea for a story or a character, or even a scene, or sometimes a setting… Jot it down immediately.
A pile of sketches and notepads filled with incomplete but promising story ideas are the foundational materials for The Sword of the Dragon series. I believe that with every writer that pile continues to grow at a rate faster than it is creatively possible to keep up with. In other words, you will always have more story ideas then you have the time to write them. And this is as it should be.
The creative process, at its core, requires the mind to be free to explore all story possibilities. Without this freedom the writer becomes trapped in the expectations they perceive from either their editor, their publisher, or even their reading public.
Keep it fun! Don’t forget that you are a writer because it’s in your blood and you love it.
Very few people want to read material from a gloomy person. And writing should be a gateway to leading people on fantastical journeys that inspire them to be better individuals than they are.
What some people refer to as writer’s block can often be overcome by referencing your old notes and sketches. These bring the stories you are trying to create to life in your own mind, reigniting your creativity.
Q: How do you use notes and sketches in your creative process?
