I encourage my writing students to really experiment with their process.
I find that things like the time of day that I write,
what kind of mood I'm in,
where I am,
what kind of music I listen to,
whether I'm writing or typing, whether I'm writing with a pen or a pencil or a crayon--
all these things can influence how I write and bring out different voices.
Sometimes I write down the page.
Just one thought per line, kind of like a telegram.
It's not a magic trick, but sometimes it helps me focus on each sentence.
Evaluate each sentence on its own merit.
Cut out the fat.
And get the transitions right.
That's all I got today.
