I used to be an extremely linear writer.

I would outline my entire fic and write everything in perfect order.  Writing was like driving down a highway (some roads were longer than others); in order to reach San Francisco, I had to first go through Los Angeles.  I love my Nana, my mom, my sisters and my nephew, but the idea of driving seven hours keeps me from making a monthly trip to see them.  And was that figurative seven hour trip that has kept me from writing me anything of considerable length for the past few (read: eight) months.

I thought it was burnout, but I came to realize that the reason why I couldn't write wasn't because I didn't have ideas--my brain is a fertile breeding ground for plot bunnies--but because the idea of writing anything of major length seemed like such a burden.  I have enough hobbies to know that when I feel like they become more like a chore than a joy, it's time to take a break. 

So, for nearly a month and a half I didn't write anything new.

Then, I decided to sign up for the het_bigbang and run with this idea for a Push fic.

And something strange happened.

When I was outlining a basic idea, I had several ideas for scenes.  Instead of jotting down the idea is my normal "N confronts K. Sarcasm abounds" notes, I actually shut up the inner voice in my head and flipped a page and started writing.  I think I might have let out a "woot!" when I stopped writing and saw a half page (aka about 500 words) staring back at me after five minutes.

Long story short, I flipped to the section where I am writing my story for the scifibigbang and just let my brain go.  If a part of a scene popped in my head, then I wrote it down; if another section came to me, then I flipped the page and started writing. (Yes,  practically every fic that is over 2k is handwritten.) Before Friday, I had 0 words.  Now, I have somewhere around 4k.

It's a liberating feeling to get on a plane and go to your destination rather than sit in the car for hours and hours.  Yeah, I'll have to take the road trip eventually, but for now, I'm enjoying the flight.  (OK, I'll stop with the analogy now. I promise.)

So, what is everyone's writing method? Are you more of a linear writer or do you just write what comes to your mind and piece everything together as it comes?

Does this ever get old? Why no, it doesn't.