The Creative Process

What is your creative process? Are you a push through the blockages kind of writer or do you prefer to go-with-the-flow and ride the inspiration wave? I’ll be honest. The month of February has been tough on me. Blame it on Mercury being in retrograde, bad planning or just plain old writer’s block but the words were not flowing as they should have this month. I do suspect that is was a combination of all three. However… and you can totally call me superstitious for this, but as soon as the 20th hit and I did my retrograde clearing ritual (candle lighting, crystal healing and some intention releasing) my mojo came back and the words were suddenly appearing on the page. Crazy? Maybe, but I’ll take it!

Now, when it comes to the creative process, I am a PLOTSTER. I love a good plotting session and typically do a solid chapter by chapter outline. This typically helps me crush my daily word count. But because I can never stick to one plan and one plan only, I also like to go off the grid and follow my inspiration. So while I have a plan, I often consiously abandon it when the mood strikes. Then, should I write myself into a corner or my muse stops talking to me, I simply refer back to the outline.

And all of this normally works well. However, when life happens and the words just don’t come, I am unable to force it. I simply cannot push through the blockages just because I had a plan. And in those moments, I leave it up to the cosmos and put it all aside until I feel ready. How do you make it through? Does your creative process lead you astray? Is your muse the only plan you follow?

Working within a deadline

Generally speaking I work better under pressure. So with that in mind, I try to no longer stress myself out when I’m not being productive. I just go out live my life and get back ot work when the mood strikes again. In the end, I always meet my deadlines, I just often do it in the early hours of the morning. Are you a late night or early morning writer?

I’d love to know your process! How do you get through those hard moments when the words are just not flowing? Do you plot or pants? Share in the comments below!

Author and freelance writer Cassidy London, has been in love with scandalous steamy romances ever since she can remember. When she’s not writing or reading dirty books, Cassidy can also be found masquerading as a wine drinking, suburban mom in Montreal, Canada.