I’ve always loved James Cameron movies. Sure, they can get a little preachy (I’m looking at you, Avatar) but the man knows how to spin a good, climactic tale and his dialogue is solid. I was curious about his writing process, and I came across this great article from Anne Cassidy at Fast Company. She interviewed Cameron by phone and he had some great pointers regarding the creative process.

All of these really click with me – inspiration can strike any time, surround yourself with creativity…and I love where he tells you to not get too wrapped up in your success (please God, let me have a fraction of that success…). My favorite point, though, is to be ready to defend your idea.

The editorial process is a give-and-take. I’ve tried to remain open and listen to what wise editorial eyes and smart beta readers have had to say about my book, but at the same time, I’ve defended a point or two that I thought was critical – and I fully explained and supported that reasoning. The end result is a book that’s getting better and better, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

Who knows? Maybe I’ll get a movie offer out of it. James Cameron….are you listening?