Write on Wednesday

Becca asks this week: How about you? What’s your writing state of mind these days? How do you access that “mysterious faculty” where insight and imagination are nurtured? How do your instincts about your writing ability help you? What’s your experience of being in “the writing zone”?

My writing state of mind these days is in research mode, which is not really conducive to actual writing just yet. Because to read a book and try and condense into somewhat legible notes and keep oneself from getting so bogged down the whole project is out the window is tough. Just as tedious as back in college, but at least the subject is self-imposed.

I keep in mind that eventually these little scraps of fact will collect into a larger whole that I can see glimpses of already. When the research is too tedious, then I go back to the world-building aspect/plotting aspect, which sometimes feels like a million little pieces that will never come together just right.

I like Becca's phrasing "the mysterious faculty". Writing is mysterious to me. Most times that I write a story, the opening lines just come to me, and I will sit for heaven knows how long until I reach a point at which I need an actual plot. I have never had a plotline just fall into my lap, those always require much more staring at a blank pad of paper or computer screen until finally the pieces come together. I usually must just plug along and write for a while, with more effort, and then suddenly, the words flow right from my brain onto the computer screen.

At the moment, I'm yawning over my computer, and the words are not flowing so easily, so I must bid adieu to you, my faithful Bold. Blue. Adventure. readers.