Tuesday's Inspiration - The Aha Moment

While reading books by other writers there can be a moment when you sit back and say "Aha.". All of a sudden something in those words causes the reader to sit up and take notice. Mr. Gardner speaks of it as a strangeness. But it's not really strange. It's the moment the unexpected arrives and makes the reader sit up. It's also hard to explain and difficult to induce.

This can happen to the writer when merrily moving along the path they've chosen and that unexpected moment occurs. Often this can be a slip from the characters into something that is of importance to the writer. The writer has entered a fugue state and the words flow in unexpected ways. The writer not only visualizes the scene but becomes the character and experiences the scene and writes. The imaginary becomes real.

This isn't a state that can be reached for. The moment just happens and when emerging from this moment what it written seems more real than real. Part of the reason is the writer has infused a bit of himself into the story. Gladly accept these moments. Reaching for them can tighten the flow of words until they won't come. Just go with the flow.