In a guest post on Jane Friedman’s blog, says that sometimes we need to set a story aside to allow it to percolate. “Most writers have heard this advice: set aside your draft to revise later,” And most of us have experienced new insights when coming back to a manuscript. Why is it helpful to set aside a draft? Why do we sometimes get insights about our writing when we are not working on it?”
- An interrupted projects stays at the top of our minds. We don’t need to wait until we “have time” to write or finish a project. Instead, we can jump in with the time we have, and trust that our brains will continue working on our ideas in the interim. Even a break of a few minutes during your writing session can trigger this attentiveness. As a benefit, these breaks can short circuit temptations to let your mind – or your story – wander.
- When your project is on your mind, your brain is tuned to look for solutions.
- You have time to reflect. “Once we come up with a possible solution, we must try it and reflect on whether it works,” Maybe that idea that seemed so brilliant in the shower is a dud when applied to the page. Or maybe it’s just right.”
