An Example of How Writing Can Happen in Strange Places...

I often tell my students writing doesn't only happen at a desk.

That being said, I do most of my writing right here -- at my old pine desk upstairs in our lovely old house in Montreal. 

Just about every weekday this summer, I've sat at this desk and tried my best to keep telling the story I've been working on. Some days, the words come easily. More often, it takes a great deal of effort (and time) to get them out.

Yesterday was one of those days when the words took a lot of effort. I spent the first half of the day at the computer. Then, because I had an appointment, I had to stop. I got on my bike and zipped over to where I had to go. The bike ride took about 20 minutes and I honestly didn't spend a second thinking about my story. I thought about other things like: how good it felt to move, how hot it was outside and what good time I was making!

When I finally sat down to wait my turn, a strange and wonderful thing happened. I HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF IDEAS FOR WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT IN MY CHAPTER. Because I only had the tiniest piece of notepaper handy, I grabbed my pen and covered that little sheet with notes. And when I came home about an hour later and sat down at the computer, the words just flowed.

The moral of this story (in case you need me to point it out to you) is: sometimes it helps to take a break from what you are working on. And while you are taking a break, your brain may keep working -- pretty much without you. TRY IT!!