{"id":56315,"date":"2022-05-26T13:48:19","date_gmt":"2022-05-26T20:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.creativecircle.com\/?p=56315"},"modified":"2022-05-26T13:48:19","modified_gmt":"2022-05-26T20:48:19","slug":"method-madness-an-outline-of-one-persons-creative-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.creativecircle.com\/blog\/method-madness-an-outline-of-one-persons-creative-process\/","title":{"rendered":"Method & Madness: An Outline of One Person\u2019s Creative Process"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes we are blessed by the muse and find a flow so profound we see God. Most of the time, we do not and have to slug through a horror-inducing first draft in order to get anything decent. Everyone\u2019s journey through their own mind is different, and the differences expand as we work with different mediums. Here\u2019s how I tackle writing for this one\u2026 most of the time.<\/p>\n

PITCH<\/strong>
\nIt starts with an idea. This will often come from something going on or the yearly focus du jour. Maybe I read a Reddit post that got me thinking about a certain topic. Maybe it’s something I’m already passionate about. Maybe I just have a vague idea of a concept I’d like to explore. Maybe it\u2019s Mental Health Month and I\u2019ve got tidbits galore to share. Either way, I compile those ideas into an email and send them off to be green lit, rejected, or adjusted to fit the publication\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n

RESEARCH<\/strong>
\nHere’s where we dive in. I spend a lot of time here solidifying my idea and thesis. What exactly is it I’m trying to share\/explain\/provide resources for? Where do these resources live? What are other people saying about this topic? Especially people who disagree with my point of view. I always try to present counterpoints and add balance to any topic I tackle.<\/p>\n

DISASTER DOCUMENT<\/strong>
\nWe have not started writing yet. The disaster document is like my living bibliography where I throw the links to every source I’ve consulted and perused in my research process. I’ll paste key info and quotes I might want to use here as well. If I have interviewed anyone, this is where my transcriptions might live, as well as any other resources they’ve directed me towards.<\/p>\n

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This document is typically in Pages, where I do most of my writing. I also use SimpleNote to take quick notes and throw in links before transferring things into an official document. I jump between those two to refine my organization process and eventually format it so it makes sense to me, although it might not to anyone else.<\/p>\n

VOMIT DRAFT<\/strong>
\nThis is where I start laying out the goodies. Sometimes I start with an intro, sometimes I start with a particular point I’m excited about. I’ll go through and fill out all the points I wanted to get out. Sometimes I’ll remember something I might need a source for so I’ll look it up really quick, or if I’m being really “good” and in the zone, I’ll make a note to look it up later.<\/p>\n

STRUCTURE<\/strong>
\nSome people may structure before they vomit, but I don’t roll that way. There is a rough structure, sure, but once I get the main points down, I’ll figure out the order they should really be in and find the narrative that will get me to a conclusion that makes sense.<\/p>\n

This is not always the case. Sometimes I’m just trying to lay out information, in which case I want to structure it in such a way that each section builds on the last. Even if it’s just a presentation of referential knowledge, there should still be the shadow of a narrative holding it in place.<\/p>\n

PLAYING WITH COOKIE DOUGH<\/strong>
\nWriting is rewriting and this is the meatiest part of it all. I\u2019ll start going through each section and refine the wording, cut what doesn\u2019t fit, and generally turn the cookie dough vomit into something resembling a cookie so it will be ready to bake.<\/p>\n

TAKE A BREAK AND SCREAM<\/strong>
\nWe get to the point where I start to ask myself why did I want to write about this. Why did I think I could take this utterly complex and nuanced topic and distill it into a 1,000\u20132,000-word piece. What drugs was I on? How did I think I was smart enough for this?<\/p>\n

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Here are things that might happen here:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n