I don't always follow a set way of writing music in general, but the best ones have either just collapsed into place (it's a beautiful feeling when that happens) or, what I normally do, is I pick a feeling. I pick an emotion, either one that I'm feeling, or one that I want to feel, and I make the music give me that feeling. I want the music to take me there. From there I just work until I get the feeling I want from the track. Never really turns out great though...

assuming you have some sort of musical idea to start with, determine what type of idea it is: is it a melodic idea (like a tune?), a harmonic idea (like a chord progression?), or a rhythmic idea (like a drum pattern?) … then start wherever is best suited to bring your idea into fruition.

Usually something like this, except that I don't play the flute:

More seriously, I usually begin by laying down a drumbeat with a pulse kick and noise hat and snare, followed by a bassline--usually pulse but sometimes wave.  I usually begin with the phrases which will form the main theme of the song (not necessarily the first phrases of the song), lay the chain with them in down a few times over, and then add variation where I feel it's needed by cloning the chain and adding / changing phrases.  As a result of this approach, I usually end up with fairly short chains.

This ^^

I use 7f for empty just because its the topmost value so its easy to scroll up to. Sometimes I have multiple empties with kXX or hXX commands and I count backwards from 7F.

I use 7F for empty but I feel like I see more people using 00 for empty.

As for organization things... I use chains 00 - 1F for PU1 and PU2, 20 - 2F for WAV and 40 - 4F for NOI. This really only keeps it organized in the beginning, while I haven't got many chains. Phrases usually follow the same convention. Try to always name your instruments! This has been so helpful for me.

I think as many others have mentioned, you'll get your own way of organization after time.

i'll give 7F a try for the next one, just to test...

Really? I like 7F for similar reasons. It's instantly recognisable from every other chain I'm using because of all the angles/the line through the 7. Different strokes for different folks.

ok...

I like 00, cause it ''looks'' empty among all other numbers, when you're giving a quick look to the sequenceur screen...

cause 00 is usually where the first actual idea i come up with ends up going, and 7F feels more separated

why 7F, instead of 00 ?

I embrace the chaos*.
I drink deep of the chaos.

*With the exception of 7F being my empty chain.

I'm the same as most guys here. But one thing I tend to do with my songs is make all chains have the same number of phrases in them - usually 4 or 8.

Then when I play the song, the  position moves down each channel at the same time, to save confusion. And make it look a little more like a normal DAW in playback.

really interessting feedback... I guess i'm too nooby on lsdj to rely on self confidence and chaos... organizing things surely reassures me in a way but also seems to breack into the experiment process...

Same boat - empty phrases up in the highest F's, naming instruments. I don't spend any time organizing my patterns because I'm usually composing in a manic fit and trying to get the ideas realized before they loose coherence.