In the Zone

Ever have this experience... You're driving down the road, la-de-dah-de-dah, when wham! A brilliant new plot twist pops into your mind in all it's Cinemagraphic glory. Is it too good to be true? You're not sure, so you think on it, detail by detail, heart racing because you suspect that yes, possibly, this could be the best-ever story that's been written in human history!

And then a voice from the back seat says, "Mom, where are we going?"

Face it. Sometimes, writers are freaks. We get in the zone and totally check out from reality...which has it's pros and cons.

ZONE PRO's
- Fantasy is oh-so-much less stressful than the real world
- Staves off Alzheimer's by working your brain muscles
- It's this quirk, this ability to completely immerse yourself in story that gives you the tools to finish a manuscript

ZONE CON's
- You can end up in an entirely different state if this happens while driving
- Non-writers think you just might be psychotic
- Other tasks on your to-do list don't get checked off, and seriously, how many nights in a row can you get away with feeding your family frozen pizza?

What to do? If it's an inopportune time when your mind slips into creative mode, here are a few tricks out of the writerly bag:

• Send yourself a voicemail with your idea
• If your hands are busy, have someone else write down a few key words so you'll hopefully remember your fantastic idea later
• Excuse yourself and write down a SHORT outline

Be thankful for your zone moments but be sure to keep them on a leash. You don't want to end up reading this blog from the psych ward.