So, how can I churn out this volume of work so fast? Good question

Advance process

Having an outline of what you want to write helps a lot. I usually take notes before hand. That way I don’t spend my writing hour actually creating the idea. My imagination is way too active all the time. I’m now learning how to slow it down and put on paper ideas that makes sense. I’ve learned as a young child how to harness my imaginations creativity to create worlds I enjoyed visiting. I never fully lost that ability and haven’t given thought to figure how to teach that skill yet.

With the ability to create rich scenarios, I can work on a story for days in advance. Then, capture a framework on paper to use later when I sit to write. I’m still learning how to most effeciently transition from paper to typed up story. What’s working the most right now is what has helped me with my speech writing.

I never over prepare the outline. This can be very limiting for my creativity later on. I use the outline just as a reference tool. The reference is to refresh my memory of the images I had when the idea first came to mind. Once I’m able to get back in the zone of the initial idea, my fingers now just have to keep up with the image and transcribe it for you to enjoy.

The biggest gains I’m seeing currently is through the extensive fiction I write. The more practice of visualizing, the easier it is to tell that story. The unexpected and highly appreciated benefit… my more “formal… less fiction-y” writing now gets a huge boost. I can picture how I would tell the story and all the facts I want to share. The fingers just follow. The outline makes sense. I can even reproduce the feel of the outline in the blog post itself.

My most advance layer of my process just started this week. I’m now carrying about a dedicated notebook. Yes, I’m now doing that too. Something I fought and resisted my whole entire life. I refused to be one of those author types who couldn’t rely on their memory to remember. Um.. Yeah… that was very dumb of me. Now, I’m a proud notebook carrying member of the writing whatever it is they call it. Lol

The difference is huge. I now juggle far less ideas in my head over the course of days. The paper captures it. I sometimes just free write an idea out. That helps seal it into memory (active imagination I call it). Plus, I’m forced to make sure I can read my handwriting so I can come back to it. That further drills the idea into the mind. And it keeps ideas cleanly separated when I’m trying to work on several posts that will get released weeks after their inception.

One other thing I do, I talk to friends. By bouncing ideas about with different people, my mind is able to better flush out ideas and fine tune them. Must be a speaker thing, because I need audience feedback to better connect with them. It works. I can flush out ideas more quickly when I talk to friends. I rotate friends btw. Can’t drain one or two people by bouncing all your ideas on them all the time. I also don’t really do that with family. They’re already stuck with me, no need to bother them any more than they have to tolerate. (yes, my attempt at being funny)

Noteworthy advance process

There are certain stories that are so complex in my head that pen and paper along with friends are not enough. Those ideas require a whiteboard. Thankfully, the space I’m able to get at work has a whiteboard. I don’t always get to use the one I have at home much. But having one in the same room I write is huge. I can really dissect an idea and manipulate the timeline of the idea. This gives me great visual clarity. (Photographer’s eye thing). In time, that idea can grow and become an episodic release of a storyline. By the way, that’s how I have been able to sketch out and write out a couple of book ideas in such a short period of time.

As you read this, do not for a second think that it’s super easy. This is a lot of work. I’ve grown a bit tired of it. If you’ve followed the blog(s) closely, you can sense I’m slowing down my production. I need a break to breathe and sleep lol. But seriously, I’m just a rookie learning. I now appreciate why authors don’t like to have many distractions when they’re writing a book. It’s a lot of information to keep straight and develop in your head.

I’m still learning and testing a lot of cool ideas to keep my process going more and more effecitently. The only way this can remain fun and sustainable is if I never allow myself to see writing as a chore and task that I have no choice but to keep doing. That is a major buzz kill for me. So, I do this for fun. To push myself. To discover. And I love it so far.