Percolation

Used under the fair use doctrine for commentary purposes, because I certainly don’t like coffee.

I know I’m no genius, but I know what works for me.

One of the best writing tips out there is percolation: Leaving your writing aside for a day or two and trying to either come to grips with the big picture or simply figuring out where to go next – all of this happening on a subconscious level, leaving the rest of the brain free to think of something else – anything else, in fact – in order to remove what obstacles or obfuscations might be in the way.

It works.

And you know what else works? Writing through obstacles and obfuscation without pausing at all because that’s what a plugger writer does.

I use both methods with good success. Most recently I’ve been on the percolating phase, letting work on “Their Hearts Run Cold” cease for a few days when I realized I was at a difficult spot in the story. This morning, while I was half asleep on the bus, the way to proceed came clear. I promptly forgot it, then remembered it again when I was more fully awake at work. I took a few notes and now have put together nearly a thousand words that are helping me continue the story, hopefully, in a better direction.

And all along, of course, I’ve been working as a plugger. I’m not so much worried right now about quality, but quantity, on the Ray Bradbury Theorem that quantity produces quality, or at least gets the crap out of the system so the better stuff can come along.

NOTE: It's still not too late to become part of Little Orphan Annie's Secret Circle over at the Targhee Writers Blog. Read bits of my novel as they flow out of my brain. Like earwax. I've got to work on my salesmanship . . .