Great things are done by a series of small things brought together. —Vincent Van Gogh

Lately, I’ve been writing short stories, and I’m finding that my process is very different from my process for writing a novel. With a novel, I spend weeks outlining and meticulously planning every single scene. With a short story, I tend to have an idea and just sit down and see where it takes me. Either way, I love using Bookflow to keep me on track. 

If you haven’t tried it yet, now is the ideal moment to sign up for Bookflow. The second Camp NaNoWriMo challenge starts July 1, and it’s a perfect time to make progress on your novel, memoir, poetry, or short story collection.

When I’m drafting a novel, I can easily write two thousand words a day. That’s because I have already done the work to outline the scene beforehand, so all I have to do is take the scenario I’ve written and fully imagine it with dialogue, setting, physical action, and sensory details. When I’m drafting a short story, I’m working on all of these things at once while making up the scene on the spot. Unsurprisingly, I don’t produce as many words in a writing session when I’m writing a short story. The short story process is slower. Then again, the project (being short) takes less time to complete. 

Both processes are good processes. There is no one “best” way to create. 

When I hold my SPIRIT goals to the light, it’s easy to remember that every single day that I commit to writing is a day that I build the future for myself. What I love about Bookflow is that—in addition to rewards based on how many words I write—I get a reward just for showing up. Frankly, that’s a reward I deserve. Showing up is the hardest part of the process. 

Ready to show up for yourself? Future you will thank you.