Since the day the english version of Aerie's Guard Refuge was born, I tried to recruit some english-writing friends to contribute on the website. One of them told me that she was stuck and that she needed to know exactly how I wanted to do her thing. I wasn't sure what to tell her, so instead I wrote about mine.
Each one of the articles I wrote, no matter the subject, is born from restlessness. I'm constantly repeating myself complete written sentences in my head until I actually write them.
Usually, I'm waiting to have enough material circling in my head until I type the first character of an article. After that, it all comes naturally: I do a quick and general presentation of the subject, I expose my personal opinions about it (the sentences brooded over) and I conclude with a general statement and an opening question for readers to be able to react.
Of course, each article type is a little different. For essays, the general presentation is often shorter. For reviews, there is usually no need for opening questions. For short stories, it's all about the ending turnabout.
What is your writing process?
I personally only write when I don't just want but need to share something, to teach something, or to express my opinion. When it's bothering me not to.
Then, it all flows through the keyboard, and though my unstructured way of thinking about what I want to write.
I guess the content of what I write depends mostly of the subject and its context, while the way of writing this content comes naturally (and in a perfect chaos sometimes since I didn't like to study French at school)
Anyway, good luck to the new English-speaking refugees
Ullaakut, I used to have the same unstructured way to write, but I got better at organizing my articles over time. I think it's easier for readers when there is a clear structure, when they know where do you lead them with your words.