Every now and then, my husband catches me staring off into
the distance, paying no attention at all to what’s going on around me. The
Vanasse Zone, he calls it.
Actually, it’s the Writing Zone, where we writers yield to
the creative happenings inside our heads. When you’re a writer, the Writing
Zone is the place you most want to be. Ideally, it happens while you’re at the
keyboard, putting words on the page. Ways you’ll know you’re in the Zone:
·
Words
flow so quickly your fingers have a hard time catching up. You don’t second
guess every line. You simply write
·
As you go
with the flow, you’re excited about the discoveries that are unfolding in your
work. But you don’t stop to laud them. You keep writing.
·
Unintended inspiration shows itself. Snippets of
what you’ve read and experienced make their way into your project without any
sort of planning.
·
After
your writing session has ended, the ideas keep coming. You run back again
and again to your notebook to jot them down.
·
When you
catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, you’re wearing a goofy grin. You’re
in the Zone. What could be better?
Our best work happens in the Zone. How to get there? It’s
not all that hard:
·
A short
opening ritual helps. Prolific novelist Alexander McCall Smith plays
background music of a different type for each of the series he writes. You can
read about my ritual here.
·
Quit
trying to sound writerly or brilliant or important. Let the authentic voice
for your project lead the way.
·
Nix the
perfectionist. There will be time later to assess and revise. For now, just
write.
·
Ditch
your linear expectations. If you get stuck in the middle, jump ahead and
write a scene or section. Write a few. Then go back and connect them.
·
Once you
reach altitude, find your cruising speed and stick with it. It’s all about
the words on the page—in the end, that’s the only way to get and keep momentum.