In an optical recording method and apparatus for an optical storage medium, a recording pulse pattern having a sequence of multiple pulses is used to record one of plural kinds of marks with different lengths on the storage medium through a variable-linear-velocity recording process or a constant-angular-velocity recording process. Two or more discrete write powers are individually allocated to the respective pulses of the recording pulse pattern. Each of the write powers, allocated to the respective pulses of the recording pulse pattern, is linearly varied in proportion with a change of one of the recording linear velocity and a recording position of the storage medium. The resulting recording pulse pattern is supplied to a pickup, and the pickup emits a light beam to the storage medium in accordance with the recording pulse pattern having the linearly varied write powers allocated to the respective pulses, so that one of the plural kinds of marks is recorded on the storage medium.