Know your modes

Divergence and convergence are fundamental to the creative process.

• Writers diverge by collecting raw material and sketching out potential characters and researching historical facts. They converge by making outlines, laying out plot points, and writing the first draft.
• Engineers diverge by researching possible solutions and testing the boundaries of the problem. They converge by deciding on a particular approach, designing the implementation details, and starting to build.

You can use this simple framework to tell you which state of mind you should be in at a particular point of a project.