The first drafts of all of my novels and many of my short stories were written in pencil in a lined notebook as I sat in half lotus on a yoga mat.

I’m not saying that’s a requirement for creativity, but it doesn’t hurt!

I like how I’m forced to really think sentences and even whole paragraphs through before I commit to them.

Yes, some of my manuscripts turned out pretty bad, but that’s what rewrites are for. And I always do those digitally — with the freedom to easily revise, delete junk, and polish.

Something about the stillness of closing my eyes and listening to my characters inspires me to create.

I can tell myself I’m blocked, but if I start that process, stories begin to form and words begin to flow.