The writing process, er processes. Writers of all kinds and for all times have wondered about how writing happens. They have debated, theorized, hoped for inspiration, prayed to various mystical sprites, and even resorted to research.

Fun stuff.

But we thought we might try something a little different, something that includes a l l of the above. We want to collect stories about writing (call it a process, call it processes, call it ritual, religion, magic, muses, luck, or labor), an accumulation of narratives. A big pot of stories. We'll make writing story stew.

You'll notice that many of the contributions made so far are quite fictional. It's perfectly appropriate to make up characters and their stories or represent yourself and your own writing processes. Or make up yourself. Tell stories about your own writing process. Who's to know? We're after a rich, bubbling cauldron of stuff, not verifiable evidence of something or other. Not Truth so much as truths.

What do we hope to learn?

Whatever the stew tells us (hey, people read bones and tea leaves and tarrot cards, why not narrative stew?).