1. A method for deriving a model for write parameters of a laser in an optical drive, the method comprising: setting a parameter range for the write parameters based on a recordable medium; recording a number of test runs on the recordable medium while varying the write parameters; measuring write performance characteristics over the test runs; deriving a model of write performance as a function of the write parameters associated with the test runs; selecting values for write parameters for use in writing actual data on the recordable medium based on the derived model, wherein the selected values for the write parameters in writing actual data comprise values that are predicted by the model to yield improved writing performance; storing, as sample data, a first section of user data in a buffer; writing the first section of user data to a data-carrying region of the recordable medium using the selected values; measuring write performance characteristics of the first section of user data written to the data-carrying region of the recordable medium; updating the model by including the measurements from the data-carrying region; and selecting new values for the write parameters of the laser based on the updated model, wherein the new values are used in writing a second section of user data to the data-carrying region of the recordable medium; wherein said measuring write performance characteristics of the first section of user data further comprises reading the first section of user data from the data-carrying region of the recordable medium, and comparing the first section of user data read from the data-carrying region of the recordable medium with the sample data in the buffer to provide measurements.