I'm a visual person, so it always starts with a picture, and then I get obsessed with the idea, sometimes too much. I have these blank books in which I take notes, and I add postcards and other physical items.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
A part of my kind of design and inspiration ethos is that I carry around a leather notebook and I sketch in it, doodle in it, write notes in it, and I put pictures in it.
At the beginning of a new project, often before I do any actual writing, I collect photos, quotes, song lyrics, and even objects that relate to the characters or the world I'm creating.
I normally keep a series of draft in a catalogue type of book in which I scribble, sketch and draw ideas.
I obsess over things... especially my book projects. It can be very time consuming.
Usually, a number of events will be going on around me to start me on a book. What I mean is, I will have read a poem or seen a picture that is lingering in my mind.
It draws you in and creates pictures, so what I do is almost like a talking story book.
I spend a lot of time writing. I get inspiration from texts rather than images.
When I start getting close to the end of a novel, something registers in the back of my mind for the next novel, so that I usually don't write, or take notes. And I certainly don't begin. I just allow things to percolate for a while.
Whenever I finish a book, I start with a blank slate and never have ideas lined up.
I like to have books around to give me ideas-to get the verbal part of my brain to start working.