Not important news, well except to me of course, but I think I have figured out how to manage my writing brain. This is something that has flummoxed me for…well, most of my life.

I’m not an “outline” kind of gal, I tend to write “organically” and often a bit out of order; the result is that I write until I’ve written myself out on a story. I tend to do this by essentially OD’ing on whatever I’m working on, writing thousands and thousands of words at a go.

Then I stall, stare at the story, and give up.

I’ve realized though, that this is less giving up (or getting bored) than some kind of gestation period for the next section. My problem is that I think “but I should finish this before I start on another story!” and, well, you can see where that (doesn’t) lead.

But this past week, I’ve been allowing myself to wander between three fairly involved and already-plotted stories, without trying to be a judgmental harpy about it. And lo! All three stories are progressing a pace. I write 500 words on one before stalling out; then write 2,000 words on another; maybe work on the third later but I purposefully stop myself at the point I start stressing about doing “more more more.” The next day I return to the first story, and find I have developed the plot a bit or sumsuch, and the writing continues.

Honestly I think this is something I’ve done without consciously realizing it, or at least without appreciating it. Seeing it as a tool in my writing arsenal, though, has made all the difference in productivity.

That’s a nice change of pace after last year’s many-moons long multiple writer’s blocks. 2011 is working for me so far!

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