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The Creative Process #35 - Our Real Models

This month I turned 44. It was a nice birthday with the usual lovely blessings of presents, cake and excited acknowledgement from my two little ones. As years go, 44 isn't that special. It's not the big 4-0. It's just another one of the

The Creative Process #34 - The Plan

By my accounting, I had 16 weeks until intents were due for IF Comp 2025. I had finished my plot outline for my next game, Anne of Green Cables, and it was 10 chapters long. A week a chapter plus some time to develop some required tech, and some art

The Creative Process #33 - Burn Out Time Out

Welcome to the new digs at Ghost.io! For the most part it's pretty much the same, just with a better barman, as per the Nazi bar story. You used to be able to read the original story on Twitter, but... well... you know. I was inspired to

The Creative Process Aside - ... oop!

I have transferred my newsletter to Ghost.io. This costs me a little bit of money, but that's the price to pay to avoid Substack and their shady bedfellows. Nazis, I mean. I wish I did it earlier. Hopefully you saw the last email from Substack. I'

The Creative Process #32 - Colouring Outside the Lines

A little bit yes, a little bit no, but for the right reasons.

The Creative Process #31 - Bubble of Good

Defining and maintaining one's happy, creative bubble

The Creative Process #30 - Drifting into the Future

What happened? What's next? What's the thematic resonance?!

The Creative Process #29 - Tiny Gifts

The kindness of leaving a bespoke crossword on a bench.

The Creative Process #28 - Variegated Slurry

October. It's been a month.

The Creative Process #27 - The First Time

Spring is having a hard go at it this year. Normally Spring in my area of the country hits the first few days of September, lulls you into a false sense of security for about a week with warm air and sunshine, then goes icy cold for one week, and

The Creative Process #26 - Ride the Tsunami

In with a whirl and come out with a swirl

The Creative Process #25 - Pushing the Cart

It's honest work.

The Creative Process #24 - Who We Do It For

Big thoughts about little things.

The Creative Process #23 - A Creative Retreat

Leave is not given to you, you have to take it!

The Creative Process #22 - The Value of Freedom

Distance as the universal solvent.

The Creative Process #21 - The Value of Constraints

In creative work, there’s often nothing more oppressive than a blank piece of paper. And yet constraints are often invigorating. Even if logically it should be boxing you in, constraints give you something to bounce off, to react to, to direct your energy towards. Smoochie Jam results: One True

The Creative Process #20 - Sealed With A Kiss

A month brought back to life with a kiss. Or more aptly, a smooch.

The Creative Process #19 - Detective Plunger Strikes Again

Whilst searching for a new case, our investigator falls into old habits.

The Creative Process #18 - New Year, New Project

It’s the season for retrospectives and plans for forging into 2024 newly minted. This year has been A Lot, so I’m reaching the end of it through dogged momentum rather than a brisk wind in my sails. I am creatively happy, which I think is the main takeaway

The Creative Process #17 - Picking up seashells

After almost a year and a half, my project is done. IF Comp 2023 is done and dusted. I spent half of the month wandering, waiting. Busy but also somewhat still. It reminded me of walking along the beach, hearing the roar and crash of the waves, muddy sand sucking

The Creative Process #16 - The Receding Storm

Regrouping after the maelstrom of effort

The Creative Process #15 - Release

My game is finished and is out exploring the world.

The Creative Process #14 - Measurements

Time is ticking, line counts are rising, and dreams have to be trimmed to measure.

The Creative Process #13 - Breaking the Curse

In which our protagonist attempts to catch lightning a second time

The Creative Process #12 - A Year of Process

One whole year of posts, and getting caught in a web trap.

The Creative Process #11 - Marathons and the balcony method

Getting feedback on my alpha test, trying to push forward and spending my relaxation time jumping off balconies.

The Creative Process #10 - Getting that Alpha

Doing whatever the opposite is of leading a wolf pack or dominating in day trading.

The Creative Process #9 - Unearthing and Advancing

March? Dig!

The Creative Process #8 - Convergence and Divergence

Branching out and trimming down.

The Creative Process #7 - A Calm Momentum

In 2023, let's not race down the hill, but take each step with thought and purpose.

The Creative Process #6 - Ends and Continuations

Gasping for breath at the top of the hill of 2022, looking back, before moving on.

The Creative Process #5 - Voices

A month of finding one's voice, or bringing it to a whisper.

The Creative Process #4 - Hot Potato

The subtle art of choosing what to drop, when.

The Creative Process #3 - Balance, Timing and Trajectory

Spinning the plates of fatherhood and creative hobbies, and adding another plate labelled "work". But do you focus on the plates, or the plate-spinner?

The Creative Process #2 - And One Makes Four

Welcoming a new bub, and working/being inspired around the edges of parenthood.

The Creative Process #1 - Hand Me Down

Passing around USBs like it's archaeology...

The Creative Process

All stories start somewhere.