SCRATCH THAT...and start all over!

Most of the time, the idea of completely scratching something I've written is a thought that borders on the sacrilegious.  In this particular instance, though, it’s been a Godsend!  As some of you may or may not know, my computer is broken.  It’s not a hard drive issue or anything, just the keyboard.  Certain letters don’t work unless I press REALLY hard on them for long periods of time.  It’s ok though because I almost have enough money saved up to buy a Mac!  (Mini-squee!)

Anywho, due to my computer trials I was forced to work with a pen and paper on my last couple of days off.  What started as a character developing exercise turned into something really special.  What I meant to do was to write a journal from my main character’s POV.  It turns out that it’s actually easier for me to write in 1^st person.  Who knew!  I had convinced myself that I DETEST 1^st person. 

Anyway, this little exercise of mine produce a good 5 pages of solid writing in under an hour.  It also helped me to identify my genre.  The Phantom Chronicles is officially an Urban Fantasy series.  Actually according to Book Country it’s actually “Dark Urban Fantasy with a Hint of Sexy”, and if we want to get more specific I’ll call it Dark Dystopian Urban Fantasy with a Hint of Sexy.  How’s that for confusing as Hell?

Anyway, I’m firmly on the right track and I’ve also discovered the writing method that works best for me.  I’m a good ol’ fashioned pen and paper kind of girl.  Then, when I move it to a computer I actually do a bit of editing as I type it up.  Pretty nifty, eh?

Have you ever stumbled across a whole new method that turned out to be the key to unlocking your creativity?  If so, what’s your method?