《旧唐书·列传·卷一百一十》
于是每做一篇，先起草稿琢磨，琢磨透彻便诗兴大发，诗兴发做诗句便写成。
由是每制一篇，先于视草，视竟则兴作，兴作则文成。
So every time he wrote an essay, he first drafted a manuscript and mulled it over. After pondering it through, his poetic inspiration would surge forth, and after writing the verse, he would write a poem.