First drafts hide from readers for good reason. The messy reality of writing differs dramatically from the polished pages readers eventually see. Richard French uses different writing approaches when working under his own name versus his Raven Fontaine pen name, transforming initial chaos into coherent narratives. This post offers an honest look at his actual methods while providing practical approaches for writers developing their own processes. These aren’t idealized workflows but real practices complete with challenges and solutions.
The Non-Fiction Foundation in the Writing Process
According to a survey by The Write Life, 92% of professional authors develop their unique writing processes through years of trial and error rather than following predetermined formulas. Richard French’s journey demonstrates this evolution, beginning with non-fiction work that established the foundation for his entire approach.
French’s early career centered on academic and journalistic writing, which required thorough research and clear organizational structures. These disciplines became the bedrock for his broader writing practice.
“My non-fiction training taught me that good writing begins with good information gathering,” French explains. “I developed systems for collecting, organizing, and synthesizing research that still serve me today, regardless of what genre I’m working in.”
Establishing Productive Writing Habits
French’s non-fiction process introduced several techniques that writers at any stage can adopt:
- The research journal: French maintains a dedicated notebook for each project where he records not just findings but also questions and connections.
- The timed block system: Rather than waiting for inspiration, French schedules 90-minute focused writing sessions with 15-minute breaks between.
- The outline evolution: His outlines begin as broad concepts and gradually gain detail through multiple revisions before drafting begins.
These structured approaches provided the discipline necessary to complete complex projects on deadline, a skill that proved valuable in his fiction endeavors.
Research Disciplines That Transferred to Fiction
When French began writing fiction, he discovered that many of his non-fiction habits transferred effectively. His character development process mirrors his approach to profile writing: begin with observable facts, ask probing questions, and build a complete picture through layered information.
Similarly, his world-building benefits from the same rigorous fact-checking instincts that served his journalistic work. He creates detailed “research files” for fictional settings just as he would for non-fiction topics, ensuring internal consistency.
“The discipline of verification doesn’t disappear when you’re making things up,” French notes. “It just shifts to verifying against your own created rules and systems rather than external facts.”
Exercise: Creating a Research-to-Writing Pipeline
To develop your own research foundation, try this exercise from French’s writing process:
- Select a current project or idea
- Create three separate documents: “Questions,” “Findings,” and “Connections”
- For one week, spend 20 minutes daily adding to these documents
- At week’s end, draft a 500-word piece using only the material you’ve collected
- Reflect on how the structured research influenced your writing
This exercise shows how systematic information gathering creates a foundation for efficient writing, regardless of genre.
The Fiction Evolution
French’s transition to fiction marked a significant shift in his writing process. Rather than simply applying non-fiction techniques to storytelling, he created a new identity—Raven Fontaine—to explore fiction without the constraints of his established voice.
“Creating Raven was liberating,” French says. “It allowed me to experiment with techniques and topics that felt foreign to my established writing identity. I could make mistakes and learn without worrying about disappointing readers who knew my non-fiction work.”
Practical Strategies for Adapting to a New Genre
The birth of Raven Fontaine involved specific strategies for genre adaptation:
- Reading as research: French immersed himself in the genre he wanted to write, analyzing structure and technique rather than just enjoying the stories.
- The scene-building method: Unlike his outline-heavy non-fiction approach, Fontaine’s work begins with individual scenes that later connect into a narrative.
- Character-driven planning: Where his non-fiction organized around topics and arguments, his fiction organizes around character motivations and transformations.
This new approach required French to develop new writing habits that accommodated fiction’s different demands while maintaining his productive discipline.
Learning Process in Early Fiction Attempts
Fontaine’s early work reveals the growth that comes with genre experimentation. His first manuscript—never published—contained what French calls “every rookie mistake possible,” including overwritten descriptions, on-the-nose dialogue, and inconsistent pacing.
“I learned more from that failed manuscript than from any writing course I’d ever taken,” he admits. “Each subsequent attempt improved as I developed fiction-specific instincts.”
Through practice and analysis, Fontaine’s work evolved from imitative to distinctive, eventually developing the atmospheric style that characterizes his published novels.
Exercise: Analyzing Your Comfort Zones and Stretch Areas
To identify your own growth opportunities, try this exercise from French’s writing process:
- Make two lists: writing elements you feel confident handling and those that intimidate you
- Select one “stretch” area (dialogue, description, pacing, etc.)
- Find three examples of this element done well by authors you admire
- Rewrite a section of your current project focusing exclusively on improving this element
- Compare the original and revised versions to identify specific improvements
This targeted practice helps develop versatility while building confidence in new techniques.
The Integration Phase
The publication of “The Convergence: Broken Magic” under Richard French’s real name marked a pivotal moment in his writing process. This fantasy novel represented the integration of his non-fiction discipline with Raven Fontaine’s narrative techniques.
“Writing as myself again, but in fiction, felt like bringing my divided creative selves back together,” French explains. “I could draw from both skillsets without the artificial separation.”
Techniques for Bringing Together Different Writing Skills
French’s integrated approach combines the best elements of both his writing identities:
- The hybrid outline: He creates character-centered outlines that incorporate both research elements and emotional arcs.
- The question-driven draft: Each writing session begins with a specific question to answer rather than just a word count goal.
- The dual feedback system: He solicits both factual accuracy reviews and emotional impact feedback from different readers.
This integrated process preserves the efficiency of his non-fiction work while maintaining the creative exploration of his fiction.
How the Integrated Process Enables Creative Synthesis
The integration phase has allowed French to create work that would have been impossible within either of his previous approaches. “The Convergence” features the thorough world-building and research depth of his non-fiction alongside the character development and atmospheric storytelling of Fontaine’s novels.
“I’m now writing stories built on factual foundations and researching topics with narrative potential in mind,” French says. “The boundaries between approaches have become permeable.”
This cross-pollination creates richly detailed fictional worlds grounded in plausible systems, whether magical, technological, or social.
Exercise: Identifying Complementary Skills from Different Types of Writing
To integrate your own diverse writing experiences, try this exercise from French’s process:
- List all the different types of writing you’ve done (professional, academic, creative, etc.)
- For each type, identify one unique strength it developed
- Choose a current project and identify one problem or weakness
- Select a strength from your list that might address this problem
- Apply this strength specifically to your project and note the results
This cross-disciplinary approach often reveals solutions hidden within your existing skillset.
The Obstacle Response Plan
Even established writers face challenges that threaten to derail their work. The difference between completed and abandoned projects often lies not in the absence of obstacles but in having systems to address them. French has developed specific response strategies for common writing challenges.
“Writers who wait for ideal conditions never finish anything,” French observes. “The writing process must include protocols for working through difficulties, not just procedures for when everything’s going well.”
Practical Approaches to Addressing Blocks, Doubts, and Distractions
French employs targeted techniques for specific challenges:
- For research overwhelm: The “three sources only” rule limits initial research to prevent paralysis.
- For writer’s block: The “terrible first sentence” technique gives permission to write poorly just to start moving.
- For confidence crises: The “evidence file” collects positive feedback and achievements to review during doubts.
- For distraction vulnerability: The “environment matching” approach creates different physical setups for different projects.
These tactical responses transform potential stopping points into temporary slowdowns.
Problem-Solving Strategies in Action
When writing “The Convergence,” French encountered a plot problem that threatened to require a complete rewrite. Rather than abandoning the project, he applied his “reduction method”—isolating the specific conflict to its smallest component.
“I realized the problem wasn’t with the entire plot structure but with a single character motivation,” he explains. “By fixing that rather than trying to reconstruct the whole narrative, I saved months of work.”
Similarly, when Fontaine struggled with a scene that wouldn’t come to life, he employed his “sensory inventory” technique—methodically adding specific sensory details until the scene gained dimension.
Exercise: Creating Response Plans for Your Common Obstacles
To develop your own obstacle management system, try this exercise from French’s process:
- Identify the three most frequent obstacles in your writing experience
- For each obstacle, document what specifically happens (thoughts, feelings, behaviors)
- Create a simple, three-step response plan for each obstacle
- Write these plans on index cards kept near your writing space
- Commit to following your response plan the next time each obstacle appears
This preparation transforms obstacles from surprising emergencies into anticipated challenges with ready solutions.
The Completion Practice
Perhaps the most crucial element of French’s writing process is his systematic approach to completion. Many writers struggle not with starting projects but with declaring them finished.
“The completion anxiety is real,” French acknowledges. “Without clear criteria for when work is done, you risk either premature abandonment or endless tinkering.”
Techniques for Making Final Decisions About Manuscripts
Both French and his Fontaine identity employ structured approaches to completion:
- The diminishing returns assessment: Tracking improvement rates across revisions to identify when changes become minimal.
- The trusted reader consensus: Using feedback from select readers to confirm when core issues are resolved.
- The cooling period: Setting work aside for a predetermined time before final review to gain perspective.
- The professional editing checkpoint: Using external editing as a final quality confirmation before declaring work complete.
These methods provide objective measures to counter the subjective uncertainty many writers experience when approaching completion.
Completion Criteria in Action
For his non-fiction work, French employs a “verification matrix” that checks every factual claim against its source before submission. This methodical approach creates confidence that the work meets his standards for accuracy.
Fontaine’s fiction undergoes a different but equally structured “emotional resonance review” where each scene is evaluated for its contribution to the reader’s experience. Scenes that don’t create the intended effect are revised or removed.
“Different types of writing require different completion criteria,” French explains. “But all writing needs some form of objective assessment to counter our subjective insecurities.”
Exercise: Developing Your Project Completion Checklist
To create your own completion protocol, try this exercise from French’s writing process:
- Define what “complete” means for your current project in specific terms
- Create a checklist of 5-7 verifiable criteria that would indicate completion
- Establish a specific cooling period appropriate to your project’s scope
- Identify 2-3 trusted readers who understand your goals for the work
- Schedule a specific “completion review” date to make your final assessment
This structured approach transforms completion from a feeling into a verifiable achievement.
Conclusion
Writing processes succeed through consistency rather than perfection. Both Richard French and Raven Fontaine have developed methods that accommodate their strengths and challenges while producing quality work. By examining their approaches—establishing effective starting rituals, managing draft reality, implementing systematic revision, developing obstacle responses, and practicing completion—you can create a sustainable process that fits your needs. Remember that the goal isn’t finding the “right” process but developing one that consistently moves your work from chaos to creation. Next month, we’ll conclude our series by exploring the deeper questions that drive authors to create despite the challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long did it take Richard French to develop his writing process?
French developed his writing process over approximately fifteen years, with significant evolution occurring during genre transitions. He emphasizes that process development is ongoing rather than reaching a final state, with adjustments continuing throughout his career as his skills and projects change.
Can I use elements from both French’s and Fontaine’s processes in my own writing?
Absolutely. French encourages writers to adopt a “process borrowing” approach, taking elements that resonate from various sources. The most effective writing processes are customized combinations that address your specific strengths, challenges, and project needs.
What if my writing process changes from project to project?
Process variation between projects is normal and often beneficial. French maintains core practices across all work while adapting specific techniques to each project’s demands. The key is recognizing which elements of your process are foundational and which can flex with project requirements.
How can I tell if my writing process needs improvement?
According to French, the primary indicators for process evaluation are completion rate and satisfaction with results. If you consistently finish projects you’re proud of, your process is working. If you abandon work frequently or feel dissatisfied with completed projects, targeted process adjustments may help.