It can be lonely and it can alleviate loneliness. It can render, change and challenge meaning. It can distract you, and drive you to distraction.

At times, it is an emotional process of undisciplined thought that taps into subconscious narrative.

It is also a disciplined, self conscious process that manages and optimizes the potential of story.

For most writers it is best to write in two stages.

Stage 1 = generate material, often using the process of free-writing to capture the unplanned and unexpected.

Stage 2 = manage the material, making conscious decisions about the shape and content.

Both Stage 1 and Stage 2 are creative and can be deeply satisfying and rewarding.

Every writer ultimately develops an approach that works best for them.

What works for one writer may not work for another – and what worked yesterday may not work today.

Writing creatively requires a delicate balance, but there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to do it.