Tuesday's Inspiration via Sue Grafton - On Inspiration #aminspired

Am reading essays by authors about this business of writing. In the recent one Sue Grafton talks about Inspiration. How neat to find something that fits the day. I'll give my take on what she says and how I've come to wait for that moment.

You're mulling over an idea and not sure where you'll be going with it. For me this happens frequently.
Here's the quote. "Eventually there is that spark--that wonderful flash--aha!--that mental leap" There's more to the quote but this is the essence. All of a sudden you know where the story should go and you take off running.

For me this often comes during the rough draft stage. My rough drafts sometimes wander all over the place before I find that one thing that gels the story. "Aha" is what I think and I start the words flowing again. The rough draft may be begun again because of that magical moment. Perhaps this is because I think with a pen in hand. My rough drafts are usually written by hand. Just my style and not a must in the writing world. Just a must for me.

Back to the quote. If there is no spark or flash or a mental leap, the story doesn't come about. But when it happens, the story takes form and the real writing can begin.

How about you? Are you hit by a a mental leap and suddenly you know the idea has merit and will become a book?