fan_writers | Getting Into The Zone

esteefee posting in

Posting here per

china_shop's suggestion, as we were discussing in this thread:

I feel like when I'm writing, there are two zones. The first is more plodding and difficult, where I'm using prompts of where I want to go in the story (such as an outline) and [I'm] sort of blind emotionally, if that makes sense, and it's very slow going. The writing really suffers as a result. The second is the true zone, where I've really percolated the story/universe in advance, and I'm so deep in the backstories, 'verse, and intent of the overarching plots that the writing kind of just rolls out of me, and individual threads I'm not even consciously aware of pop out and intertwine in a really kinetic way. That is the gold standard for me, but so much harder to achieve. I really wish I knew how to create that zone more readily, but it appears to be an almost accidental thing that occurs when I'm really into a story idea.

mific went on to say (paraphrasing, don't want to steal her words) that sometimes it's the story idea that gets her there, and sometimes it's the headspace she's in that makes the words really flow.

What gets you into the right headspace for a good zone? One where the words come easily and you feel you're doing the kind of writing where synergy really happens?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

mific

I was curious so I did some internet searching on the topic of getting into the zone (also called the flow). The advice from a number of sources was the same as for writing productivity in general:

- have a routine, same time of day for a set, minimum time (if possible, a time when you have some energy and creativity)
- setting - water/beverage, nice smells if you like (e.g. candle), uncluttered desk, comfy chair
- relax your mind beforehand, or try to clear it of distractions. Ideas varied from going for a walk, meditating, or listening to music before writing. One idea was to have a warm-up document where before your "real" writing you pour all your distractions into this document in a stream of consciousness, e.g. "Need to hit the store later, dishes in sink, what's for dinner? front garden needs weeding, Sally looked down yesterday, go vet's" etc.
- similar to the no distractions advice above - phone off, tv off, internet off as well if need be
- just write, and even if it feels plodding, the zone/flow will come
- re-read the last part you wrote the day before to get back into the feel of it. Some people deliberately stop for the day with a word or sentence half-completed, so there's an easy way back into the story
- doing sprints or timed writing e.g. 20-25 min. writing then 5-10 min. break
- shitty first draft system - don't break the flow by self-editing, doing research, etc. Write something like [details] where you later need to look something up

One blogger pushed using an iPhone app (I wondered if she was getting a commission!) that emitted rumbling, ambient sounds supposed to cause "brainwave entrainment" ("Brain Wave Entrainment. ...the act of stimulating your brain with the exact frequency you want it to match. So if you put on a pair of headphones and you play that desired frequency into the headphones, your brain will automatically pick up the frequency and sync to it. ...And within a few minutes, you’ll be physically in that desired state of mind.") This sounds like state-dependent learning, which is an actual thing. I suspect this may be what people are doing when they put on their special music for writing, or their writing playlist, or always write in a specific setting like a café with the same sort of ambient noise. It's not so useful for those of us who prefer a quiet, music-free setting. But there might be something in trying to get used to a soft ambient background "soundscape" that would eventually become associated with writing by your brain, making it faster to get back into the writing zone when you next sit in your writing chair at your writing time of day, and turn it on.

Other ideas were more about avoiding or reducing boredom, like having two projects on the go and switching between them to increase stimulation and creativity. Maybe non-linear writers jump to the fun bits of the story and write those? (I write linearly, so don't know about that.) But eventually you'd have to come back and write the less-fun bits, right? Which would once more be plodding and make it hard to get in the zone for those parts.

I guess for me the fun bits are things like dialogue, major characters I most like to write, minor characters or OCs who are quirky or fun to write. So maybe I need to think if I can do any of those things when I'm in a plodding bit and don't feel in the zone - can I insert some dialogue? A character I like? Can I add more sensory detail to make it feel more real? Is my outline restricting me if I'm working from one? Maybe go off script and write whatever I want for a while to enjoy myself more, even if I don't end up using that bit (in this fic). A meander might get me back in the flow and more able to press on with the sticky middle of the story.

Other suggestions were being part of a writers group or community - for encouragement, sharing ideas, a place to vent. Or switching style by doing a bit of the ploddy part in a totally different style - epistolary, all-dialogue, Chandleresque, historical language e.g. Regency or Elizabethan - just for a break, to wake your brain up. Or, similarly, make yourself write something structured like a 100 word drabble, a limerick, a haiku.

Anyway, lots of ideas. Most don't feel new to me, but then, have I tried them all? That'd be a nope, so I guess that's where to start.

From:

shivver

Hi! I don't have much to offer on this topic, as I'm a hobbyist writer (read: I write when I feel like it and don't when I don't) and pretty much "zone" when it happens, but something you said caught my eye:

"relax your mind beforehand, or try to clear it of distractions... have a warm-up document where before your "real" writing you pour all your distractions into this document in a stream of consciousness"

This sounds similar to bullet journaling, except that the idea is that you can't stop distractions, so have a way to deal with them quickly and return to your work when they happen.

The idea behind bullet journaling is to have a journal (physical works best because writing with pen and paper is better for both retention and for getting an idea out of your head, but digital is okay) with a page for each day. Then, when you can't be distracted but you have a thought, write it in the journal, and then you can forget about it and get back to your real task. At the end of the day, return to your day's page and deal with the thoughts as appropriate.

The bullet journal method has rules and guidelines on how to do this, but I won't get into the mechanics here. I will say, though, that having an actual routine of how to deal with your recorded thoughts, rather than just leaving it to "Oh, I'll look at it sometime," is really important.

It takes a bit of practice to get into the habit of doing this, but it can really help you focus. I used to do this while working, so that I wouldn't forget things that popped into my head, both work-related and personal, but I stopped once I got laid off. I really should start it again.

----

And just cos I'm thinking about it... I guess I'm a non-linear writer? I'm plot-focused so I usually have at least an idea of how the story's going to go, even if I don't actually have an outline, but I won't necessarily start writing with the first word.

The current thing I'm working on, it's two friends sitting down to watch a TV show and afterwards commenting on how it relates to their life and relationship. I tackled it by writing some of the things that I knew I wanted them to say (maybe you can call them "the clever bits") and then, after I'd gotten most of the important stuff down, rearranging them into how the conversation would flow naturally, writing the bits in-between, and then re-writing things so they stitched better.

From:

china_shop

writing with pen and paper is better for both retention and for getting an idea out of your head

Ha, this sounds contradictory, but I can totally see how it isn't. :D

I will say, though, that having an actual routine of how to deal with your recorded thoughts, rather than just leaving it to "Oh, I'll look at it sometime," is really important.

That makes so much sense and is totally what's missing from my own haphazard practice, heh.

From:

china_shop

Yay, you posted! <3

That state of the writing kind of just rolls out of me, and individual threads I'm not even consciously aware of pop out and intertwine in a really kinetic way is such an incredible feeling. You've described it perfectly. *sighs wistfully*

The first is more plodding and difficult, where I'm using prompts of where I want to go in the story (such as an outline) and [I'm] sort of blind emotionally, if that makes sense, and it's very slow going. The writing really suffers as a result.

So... do you think it's about connecting emotionally with the story? Is that how you get that "everything's just working" feeling? (I want to be able to write from outlines, but I haven't figured out how to make it work. I always end up push the characters around, instead of them leading the way, and then all the life drains out of the thing.)

Here are some things that I feel intuitively could be helpful (or have helped me in the past):

imposing a high-level structure (chapters or sections), so it's not that you have to finish the whole story to get a sense of accomplishment -- you just have to get through this section / chapter. That helps me focus in on the characters in the moment, too, instead of looking too far ahead.
zooming in on how the characters are feeling and reacting to what's happening around them, rather than leaning too far into "plot" (this works for me because I'm really not a plot person; presumably plot people get a buzz from focusing on logistics or whatever ;-)
vaguely planning out the next few scenes in advance so I know where I'm going (but not in so much detail that I can't surprise myself)
adding some shinies, little twists and ta-daaas, little surprises for you and your reader along the way to keep things engaging. Of course, this is easier and more fun if they happen organically in the zone, but maybe we can lure ourselves with one or two planned ones?

Of course, all of this is much easier to say than do. ;-p

I also wonder if making things harder in the story helps. Like, for me, the temptation is always to make it easier so I can rush on through to the ending, but sometimes setting myself -- or the character -- a challenge engages my brain and creativity, and creates enough of an updraft that I can get moving. Idk. It sounds good in theory, anyway. :-)

From:

esteefee

I think part of the problem is I've chosen a historical AU this time. So the characters feel a little unfamiliar. But leaning into the emotions of the characters sounds like the way to go! that's why I'm in this, after all, as much as I enjoy blowing things up lol. and yes! adding little shinies, little twists, and especially some little easter eggs for my beta reader keeps me engaged. these are great ideas and reminders, thanks.

I am definitely guilty of making things too easy for my characters. I will try that too!

finally, if things are too dreary, I find that leaning my head back and just fantasizing the scene and the characters talking does wonders. I think it's because I go into more of a dozy, alpha wave state where free association and dreamy creativity really rises. The only danger there is actually falling asleep! :D

From:

china_shop

I think part of the problem is I've chosen a historical AU this time. So the characters feel a little unfamiliar.

Oh, yeah! That's exactly the problem I have with AUs. Like, who are the characters in this different context? I'm much better at canon divergences than "whole other setting" AUs.

finally, if things are too dreary, I find that leaning my head back and just fantasizing the scene and the characters talking does wonders. I think it's because I go into more of a dozy, alpha wave state where free association and dreamy creativity really rises. The only danger there is actually falling asleep! :D

LOL! And yes, that's really helpful for me, too. I sometimes think about it when I'm lying in the bed, just woken up, and my brain is still dozy. (I keep a notebook and red-tinted flashlight on my bed for this kind of thing, in case I wake up with ideas in the night.) :D

From:

esteefee

ooh the red flashlight is smart idea! Keeping yourself half-awake like. I like to turn dictation on and just ramble into my phone's notes app. Because no matter how much I tell myself I will remember! I will! The ideas and dialogue are completely lost if I drift off to sleep.

From:

bluedreaming

I kind of have two things:

1) there’s nothing like last minute panic. Unfortunately. Even then it doesn’t always work, but there’s something? It’s like: this is the priority. Condensed pressure.

And related to that:

2) writing more often. The more I write, the more “exercised” I am, like doing my daily stretches. When I first discovered fanfic, I spent about 2 years joining every single event so I had all these smaller deadlines + lots of exercise and specific projects and it was so great! I would eye a prompt, write 1-3k and be done, then go and claim and submit it. Of course, that wasn’t really sustainable (or desirable: writing so much to assignments or prompts was a great way to learn what I don’t like to write, so I didn’t want to do that too long) but after taking a several years break I realize how rusty I am in comparison, so I’m working on getting back into having more little deadline projects, though smaller and lower pressure this time! (Drabble challenges are my new best friend, but multifandom so I stay engaged.)

This means that a drabble, that used to take me a month last year, I can now toss off in under an hour! (On a flow day.) Longer stuff I have to percolate first (90% percolating, 10% writing) but for me it’s definitely that exercise that I need, but exercise with form; daily pages or writing bits of a longer project don’t work as writing exercise for me personally.

So, for me, I really need this type of practice and form prep to be able to get into a good zone, but as for the zone specifically, I can get a cup of coffee or music or whatever but those things don’t help me much if I don’t have the 1) direction and 2) exercise.

From:

esteefee

Definitely writing more often is a big help!!

Also, getting enough sleep lol

From:

china_shop

Also, getting enough sleep lol

Ha, yes! This is such a big factor for me.

From:

elayna

Interesting, I feel like I'm the reverse. I'm usually doing something physical, letting my mind drift, and start picturing scenes in the story, then rush to get those written down. I haven't percolated the story at all, it's playing in my brain and I really enjoy getting it out.

Then I end up with scenes that mostly make a story, and that's the plodding part, adding the scenes to connect them and making sure that they're consistent.

From:

esteefee

oh I think we're talking about the same thing though: what you call picturing scenes in the story, I call percolating? but I definitely know a lot about the world the characters inhabit before I start writing (if it's an AU).

From:

elayna

If it’s an AU, I only know what’s in that scene when I start writing. I know nothing about the world the characters are inhabiting, except of course my general knowledge of history or culture of the AU setting. So that feels different in how we approach, I just get started and sometimes struggle to figure things out as I go along.

From:

esteefee

the knives out approach! 🔪🔪🔪

From:

isis

it appears to be an almost accidental thing that occurs when I'm really into a story idea

This is my experience! I also have to get a ways into the story - even if I'm excited about it, it takes a while to get a beginning I really like (hello, linear writer here) that leads me to the places I was thinking of going. But at some point (typically 800-1500 words in?) I feel like I have enough of a ramp to shoot me with speed through the story, so to speak.

From:

esteefee

I feel like I have enough of a ramp to shoot me with speed through the story

Nice. Oh, I am so linear. You will have to drag my linear timeline out of my cold, dead, writerly clutches.

From:

mific

Me too. I was thinking I should write a non-linear story - present intercut with past - for practice, but I suspect I'll write each part linearly then cut and paste them!

From:

esteefee

haha that's the trick

From:

shippen_stand

In a "separating the art from the artist" point, one thing Neil Gaiman said about writing was that some days were slog and some days were slow, but when he went back and read through the book, he couldn't tell which passages came from which days.

I'm on and off in the LJ 12MoWriMo community, where you pledge a certain number of words per day. Sometimes I'm watching the word count bar to make my minimum of 200, and sometimes I look up and 500 words have spilled out. I tend to write as part of my morning routine, so inadvertently seem to be following a lot of the advice here.

From:

mific

Yeah, that's an encouraging quote, and I also can't tell which were the ploddy middle bits when I re-read the completed story. Good to remember that!

From:

china_shop

Sometimes I'm watching the word count bar to make my minimum of 200, and sometimes I look up and 500 words have spilled out.

*solidarity fistbump*

From:

orbble

For me, getting in a good zone hinges a lot on physical comfort, I've noticed! If I'm experiencing any pain or discomfort, I can't get into a zone, it's too distracting.

Other things that really help me get into that ideal writing state are making a habit of writing, by writing at as close to the same time as possible, and - this is a bit of a weird one - I need a vlog or something similar that I've already watched on in the background. That's not always been the case! What kind of background noise, if any, works for me changes from time to time. But lately, I need the sound of talking to be present, but easy to tune out.

Finally, I just find it helps to think about what I'm writing a lot leading up to it. If I've built up my excitement, that "in the zone" feeling is way more likely to come around!

From:

senmut

And I am the opposite here. I will micro-focus on writing to avoid feeling. But, chronic pain since my 20s, intermittent prior to that, means I have LONG used the out of body thing - make my mind do something else - to avoid pain.

From:

orbble

That makes sense to me! I also have chronic pain, but it's a much more recently-developed thing for me. So far I've really struggled to focus on writing when things are flaring up. But, I find micro-focusing on work to avoid the pain pretty useful. It's being creative where I've yet to figure it out!

From:

esteefee

For sure I need to be well-rested to write.

From:

senmut

I love all these comments. I'd put a heart on them all but I don't want to be annoying when I have little to add to the grist of them.

For me, I think it is highly dependent on my fatigue flares as to if I can find the zone. I have been mentally exhausted on top of physical fatigue for some time now, and my words have severely tapered off.

From:

esteefee

Absolutely I get that. My eyes have been a problem for a while now and my headaches have been worse as a result.

Wishing you better energy so you can get into the groove! 💖

From:

pir8fancier

I always start by knowing what the ending is. I'm a linear writer and am pretty much locked into a three-arc structure. First arc presents the problem. Second arc presents the pitfalls. The third arc presents the resolution. I always know the ending. I try to adhere to a firm middle (otherwise I'm all over the place--ooh, shiny object--opps, 10,000 words that don't work). I find beginnings impossible and rewrite the beginning of any fic about twenty times. Also, especially in my SGA fiction, I chose a very silly idea (like John and Rodney in Disneyland). Even though the idea might be ridiculous, what happens in the fic is not. But the "silly" helps me to chuckle and have FUN writing. I think that plodding happens when you're not having fun. Even writing grueling passages can be fun if only because you know that the next arc isn't going to be grueling and you're writing them out of the angst.

From:

china_shop

I'm a linear writer and am pretty much locked into a three-arc structure. First arc presents the problem. Second arc presents the pitfalls. The third arc presents the resolution.

Oh, that's cool. It must help so much to be aware of that structure and where you are in the story. Hmm...

But the "silly" helps me to chuckle and have FUN writing. I think that plodding happens when you're not having fun.

Ooh, good point. I think that's true for me, too, yeah. (Hi, you!)

From:

esteefee

oh interesting (about you rewriting the beginnings of your stories). definitely I can see being silly helps make them flow. well, except when you're writing crack and the laptop keeps bouncing. :D

but I don't think my story structure would survive if I had to totally re-write sections. do you find it easier to rewrite the beginning once you have the middle to write to?

From:

pir8fancier

Maybe rewriting is too strong a word. But I shuffle events and rearrange dialogue, and it's a game of shuffleboard with words. Rarely do I add anything, but I sometimes delete small passages. What I'm always looking for is an energy that draws the reader in and keeps them. I'm usually not super successful at that. I would say that I'm never super happy with my beginnings, but I reach a point where I'm either exhausted or I think, okay, that's not bad. Let's go with it. This is where having an audience that knows your writing is the key, because if they trust you, then they are willing to stick around for a so-so beginning, knowing that the chances of it picking up are nearly guaranteed.

From:

esteefee

that's so true...we should talk a little about audience trust!

From:

linky

For me a good zone feels like it comes randomly sometimes... XD But also I know what seriously helps is being hydrated and having eaten, if my body feels nourished then words do come easier.

From:

esteefee

yes, me too: I need to be well-rested, hydrated, fed.

From:

switchbladeeyes

I think it's easier to get in "the zone" when I am regularly writing. I try to do a little each day so it's a habit.

Also, I'd say being in the zone doesn't have much bearing on the quality of my writing. A lot of zone time is spent vomiting words on a page so I can get it down. Editing is a problem for Future Me.

From:

rattfan

I get into the zone most easily when it's a world I really enjoy being in, or I'm writing from the POV of a character I like a lot, or both. Sometimes it can be my own original character.

ATM I'm writing a thing that's a crossover between Supernatural and From, and I found that Jade from From and Crowley, King of Hell in Supernatural, had this immediate connection (g). No idea whether they really would have, but in my head, whenever they were talking, things just took off. That's a thing I've found you can do in fanfic which editors will often make you edit in originals, just have the characters *chat*. Even when they really should be paying more attention to what's going on.

So in my story I have Crowley flirting with Jade, doing it to stir him up, and Jade's all "whatever, knock yourself out, it's not gonna get you anything."