Sometimes writing needs to percolate. There’s a lot to be said for keeping after it when you’re hot or when the idea strikes. Writers strive for that nirvana moment, and you should definitely keep writing when you hit the groove.
But there’s also a lot to be said for letting an idea bounce around your head for awhile, let your subconscious give it a good massage to see what comes out a day, week or month later. We live in a “I wanted it yesterday world,” but next month often is the reality or makes more sense.
I’m currently co-writing a book with a friend and professional colleague. We batted around titles for the book day after day in our early meetings. We emailed back and forth. One title would sound okay, then we’d modify it, and we would both find something not quite right. We finally dropped the subject and just got down to the writing.
As we put together chapter after chapter, we’d occasionally email each other another title suggestion. We still couldn’t agree and none of them really made us jump up and down. Then I came up with one this past week. It was short, captured the subject, had a hidden meeting and was visual. We had it. He loved it. He’s discussed it with others, and they agree. I’ve run it by some other people and they think it’s great, too.
It took almost two months for the right title to emerge. Good writing sometimes is best put on the back burner to percolate.
But there’s also a lot to be said for letting an idea bounce around your head for awhile, let your subconscious give it a good massage to see what comes out a day, week or month later. We live in a “I wanted it yesterday world,” but next month often is the reality or makes more sense.
I’m currently co-writing a book with a friend and professional colleague. We batted around titles for the book day after day in our early meetings. We emailed back and forth. One title would sound okay, then we’d modify it, and we would both find something not quite right. We finally dropped the subject and just got down to the writing.
As we put together chapter after chapter, we’d occasionally email each other another title suggestion. We still couldn’t agree and none of them really made us jump up and down. Then I came up with one this past week. It was short, captured the subject, had a hidden meeting and was visual. We had it. He loved it. He’s discussed it with others, and they agree. I’ve run it by some other people and they think it’s great, too.
It took almost two months for the right title to emerge. Good writing sometimes is best put on the back burner to percolate.
