The Creative Process: From One Idea to Many
When I first published my children’s book Wigby’s Big Year, I thought the milestone was simply hitting “publish.” It felt like crossing the finish line of a marathon — exhausting, exhilarating, and a little surreal.
What I didn’t realize is that finishing one project often cracks open the door to dozens of others.
After launching Wigby’s Big Year, I immediately started outlining the second book in the series. That process was supposed to be straightforward — continue the story, grow the characters, keep moving. But as I wrote, something interesting happened.
New questions popped up. I found myself jotting down notes for projects that weren’t even connected to Wigby’s world. Suddenly, I had multiple sparks growing into new directions:
Book Two in Wigby’s adventures — continuing his journey with Anya.
A practical guide for authors — because when I self-published, I ran into gaps other “how-to” guides didn’t explain, like how to handle book metadata, how to decide what goes in your front and back matter, and how to balance print vs. ebook formatting.
A whole new set of characters — what started as simple sticker doodles grew into a family with personalities, backstories, and lore (hint: this is a project I’ll share more about soon).
That’s the thing about the creative process: ideas don’t always arrive fully formed. Sometimes they sneak in as sketches, sticky notes, or late-night “what if?” questions. Sometimes they show up while you’re deep in another project.
Turning Sparks Into Stories: A Few Tips
If you’ve ever had a random idea pop into your head — a doodle, a phrase, a dream that stuck with you — here are a few ways to catch it before it fades and see if it grows into something more:
Write it down immediately. Keep a notes app or notebook handy. Sparks fade fast if you don’t capture them.
Ask “what if?” Push your idea further. What if this sticker had a friend? What if this phrase was a chapter title?
Let it simmer. Not every spark becomes a project right away. Let it rest, then revisit later.
Experiment small. Test your idea in a low-stakes way — doodle it, turn it into a blog post, or make a quick mock-up.
Notice the patterns. If the same idea keeps circling back, it’s worth exploring more deeply.
For me, Wigby began as a single spark — a puppy with a story. That spark grew into a series, which opened the door to guides, side projects, and even new worlds.
✨ If you’re curious, you can check out Wigby’s first adventure here or read more of my story.
Because the truth is: you never know where your small spark might lead.
