If you are into writing, you already know that there are as many ways to approach it as there are writers. Some work every day, eight hours a day, and consider it their business. Some write when the mood strikes; and if that's a year between books, so be it.
Then there is talk about being blocked. An author might have written twenty books but suddenly they feel blocked, and it stops them from writing more-- at least for awhile.
A few writers steal from other's books. I know this seems unlikely on a high level, but yes, it has happened even among well known writers who you'd think would never do such a thing. Plots do get recirculated; so it's not surprising to see similar plots, titles, characters and covers. But there is a point at which it's not just a coincidence. It's a writer desperate to get more books out but without any of their own ideas at the moment.
Some writers have more ideas than they will ever be able to use and their only problem is fitting that writing into their daily life-- not always easy.
Currently I am in a very prolific stage of writing in that every day's work is visible and out there where I can see the results. There are times I consider just as prolific but there are no words added to a file somewhere. It is then that I am working out plot details, doing research, or just thinking about who these characters are and what makes sense for them to do. I remember being in a museum years ago where they had a quote alongside one of Monet's paintings.
For years i have looked for the quote but never seen it again. Paraphrased, it was that a neighbor had once looked over and seen him sitting in the garden. 'I see you are not working today.' Monet said 'oh but I am working.' Another time when he was busy painting, the neighbor said, 'I see you are working today.' And Monet said, 'no, today I am not working.'
Basically that's how I see writing. What looks like is happening isn't always when it really happened.
The above photos seem to illustrate how a book begins with a fuzzy vision, that gradually grows more detailed, and finally there it is.
They were funny how they came about. I turned on the webcam which I often use to put on make-up as the lighting is good here. It had gone to a totally fuzzy image with almost no focus. I liked it. Took that photo, brought it halfway to focus, and finally to one as sharp as it can get.
