How big is your thinking?

Dear Stephen King,

I have been assembling a series of over 300 books that I want to write. It is a giant outline comprised of seven ages throughout our planet's history. Each age has seven moving points that change the course of that age's history. Then each of those moving points has seven novels most likely chronicling the lives of the same characters.

I'm wondering if you write in this way. From what I understand you are a "write by the seat of your pants" author. I can see you taking notes about where you want to go with a sequel or second sequel but I believe you only have an idea of what you want to write when you sit down. You don't have a full outline. You will have to let me know a little more about how you do that.

I personally, have discovered that I need an outline to sit down and write. I have to know how story is going to end before I can start writing that story. I like to have beats to write about. I guess it's because of my short attention span. I write about 100 or 200 words at a time. Then I have to get up and do something around the house and then I come back and write another hundred or 200 words. This means I sit down and write eight or nine times before I can quit for the day.

I am trying to study ways to be a little more focused, to have a more specific place and time to write. The process is something that is ever evolving, and I will continue to make changes to my routine until I find a way to be more consistent about putting words down on paper.

I look forward to hearing more about your writing process. 

Sincerely,
Robert Gasperson

Do you ever have writers block?

Dear Stephen King,

I wonder if someone who writes as much as you do ever has writers block. You always seem to have something to write about. And to tell the truth I always have something to write about.

I figure you have a system kind of like I do. I keep a notebook with me at all times so when an idea does strike me, I write them down. This way when I am trying to write and can't think of something to write about all I have to do is go back to my notebook.

Also I have a series of books that I want to write that number about 340 books. This means I will never run out of ideas for stories because I have an outline of many stories I want to write already.

I know others like Scott Sigler actually has a timeframe laid out in front of him for the next 3 to 7 years of what he's going to be writing. He will always have something to write because he already knows what he is writing in advance.

How do you make sure that you always have something to write?

Sincerely,
Robert Gasperson