Writing happens long before we sit down at the computer. It happens in our hearts and our heads. Yet too, often writers don't leave the time they need to think their stories through. I'm not suggesting you develop a specific outline, or have everything figured out before you sit down to write, but it is helpful, necessary even to invest some time to think about this. This counts as writing too. This kind of deliberate thinking works like brainstorming for me. I'll take notes, let my imagination unspool and solve problems in my story, figure out story structure, or consider the form and markets that might best work for me. It's a creative process and gives me a more solid footing when I sit down at the computer to create a loosey-goosey first draft. In this episode, I share some ways I approach this kind of development process--one of my favorite parts of writing--and why I'm never really off work, even when I'm not sitting at the computer. Writing is always working on the mind. When we learn how to harness that, it makes us better writers. Get in touch with me, Polly, and get class discounts, publishing insights, author tips, and more as part of our Simply Write community at https:simplywrite.substack.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices