On Pause...

I've recently been "nudged" to update my blog (thank you, Patricia!) and today I finally broke down and decided to write something. Truth is, I'm writing this now because my current WIP, Lucky Stiff, #4 in my Mattie Winston series, is in pause mode. That means I'm trying to figure out where to take my characters next and, like a DVR'd show that gets interrupted, I put the work on pause and let my subconscious work it out.



I'm a very sporadic writer and I have many pauses everytime I sit down to write. What do I do when I'm in pause mode? I check Facebook for updates. I check my current Amazon sales ranking, or pub stats in Publisher Alley. I cruise through tweets. I log in to see how much of my retirement fund has disappeared this week with the stock market dives. I read and answer emails. I read and answer snail mail. I eat chocolate. I read People magazine. I make a cup of coffee. I make phone calls. I dose myself with Reddi-Whip right out of the can. I shower (good thing!) I watch a real DVR'd TV show. I torment my cats. I do a load of laundry. And on rare occasions, I update my blog.



Some people might call this procrastination. I call it writing. How so? Well, somewhere in the midst of all these other activities, that freeze frame in my mind suddenly goes into play mode and in a snap I know where my characters need to go, what they need to do. I can see it all playing out in my head and before you can say "bull crap!" I'm back into my manuscript, writing again.

It just happened again as I was writing this. Go figure. Who hit the play button???