June 12, 2024, 6:55 a.m.

Neil Gaiman’s Secret Sauce?

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Ever wonder how a genius like Neil Gaiman keeps churning out hits? I just plugged into a killer podcast with him and Tim Ferriss, and man, it’s loaded with gems.

Here’s the scoop - quick and dirty:

  1. Change of Scenery: Gaiman writes away from home. Why? Keeps work fresh. Similar to what Maya Angelou did!

  2. Sit Down Rule: He writes or does zip. This rule? It’s his golden ticket to focus.

  3. Old-School Drafts: Fountain pens and colorful inks. Sounds fun, right? That’s how he rolls with first drafts.

  4. Edit Smart: Moving from paper to screen is when he trims the fat. Makes his stories tight.

  5. No Pressure: Sometimes, he writes just for kicks, no deadlines. Keeps his writing fire alive.

  6. Routine Works: Repetitive daily tasks when novel-writing help him stay productive without the brain drain.

  7. Keep It Light: Overthinking writing? A no-go. He plays it down to keep the vibe easy.

  8. Learning Non-Stop: Gaiman picks brains from other pros. Always tweaking his style.

  9. Heartfelt Stories: From writing “Coraline” for his kids to other personal tales, he’s got stories that stick.

  10. Stay Fluid: His methods evolve because staying static? Not an option for Gaiman.

Feels like the old ways still got some magic in them. Sometimes restrictions and a bit of boredom spark the best creativity.

I’ll tell you what – diving into Neil’s mind lit a fire under me. Who knows? Might get your creative juices flowing like Neil’s as well.

Catch his full story on Tim’s podcast. Reading this email is just a start, but hearing him live? That’s gold.

Keep rocking,

Alexander "Writing Rebel" Kluge

P.S. What’s your takeaway? Hit reply and share your thoughts!

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