Tag Archives: process

Keeping a Development Journal

Posted on December 17, 2014 by J. Sevick

A lot of writing advice suggests keeping some kind of journal. I’ve always romanticized the idea of keeping a diary… and never been able to stick with it for more than a day. And while I do keep a small … Continue reading →

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Saying Goodbye to a Story

Posted on October 15, 2014 by J. Sevick

When an idea begins to come together, when it builds into a story, when you see what it could become—there is nothing more exhilarating. For me, that feeling of raw creation is why I write. But sometimes, as you develop … Continue reading →

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The Three Types of Drafting Doubt–And How to Fight Them

Posted on July 20, 2014 by J. Sevick

It’s a little premature to say I’ve mastered my doubt. Unfortunately, one finished first draft does not a career make. But the mental transition I’ve made in the last month has at least given me the confidence that I can … Continue reading →

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Fear and the Writer

Posted on June 30, 2014 by J. Sevick

In finally finishing a draft, I achieved so much of what I’ve wanted for so long—just a finished draft, of anything. Sure, because of its length, I can’t really do anything with it (I suppose I could polish it for … Continue reading →

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Another Key to Drafting: Keep Moving Forward

Posted on June 28, 2014 by J. Sevick

For me at least, the middle of the draft is a whirlwind of emotion. On the one hand, I’m actually writing. Not thinking about writing, not talking about writing, not writing about writing—WRITING. And that’s huge, and awesome, particularly for … Continue reading →

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Writing Crappy Plots: The Key to the First Draft

Posted on June 26, 2014 by J. Sevick

It’s common writer wisdom to write rough first drafts. Just get through it, no matter how bad. And at the level of the sentence, the paragraph, the words, it’s not that hard. I can accept that these sentences don’t have … Continue reading →

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The Long and Short of It

Posted on June 23, 2014 by J. Sevick

Yesterday’s post was a bit of a downer, I’ll admit. But I’m not giving up on me yet, and I hope you don’t either. I want to be honest about my process, the ups and downs, the good and bad—and … Continue reading →

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One-Month Challenge: Update Three

Posted on June 22, 2014 by J. Sevick

Still not to drafting yet, of course. I’m tentatively in the outlining stage, as I’ve got the basic outline (major plot points) figured out, but as I’ve gotten closer and closer I’ve been swamped with a feeling of malaise. Part … Continue reading →

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Plotting 101

Posted on May 26, 2014 by J. Sevick

I’m a pinch busy today, so I’m throwing up some random notes I found buried in my computer–lucky you! But they might have a bit of merit–even as incomplete as they are. 🙂 This is really not meant to be … Continue reading →

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The Nature of Creative Expression

Posted on May 20, 2014 by J. Sevick

[Warning: whining about my creative difficulties ahead… but also I think an interesting exploration of the creative process] Creativity is a remarkable thing. As far as I am aware, it is a uniquely human thing. Not everyone does it, or … Continue reading →

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