We had snow yesterday, over an inch. We knew it was coming so we were indoors enjoying it and not stuck on a road somewhere. Driving in snow can be stressful, but being inside with a fire going and fat flakes falling outside the window, frosting the evergreens, turning everything white, very peaceful.

More snow is expected today and tomorrow as the bigger storm moves in, up to six inches today. That could be interesting though I doubt we’ll actually get that much.

PBW is asking about what gets a writer through crunch time and I realized I don’t know the answer. Unless it’s, “writing is writing”. In a way it’s all crunch time so there’s no real difference. I just keep at a story and I push it up the hill until it starts to avalanche down the other side and then I run to keep up. What keeps you doing it, well, the story wants to be finished for starters. I think that even thinking about it in terms of “crunch time” is a bad idea for me because it makes me freeze up. The minute you start thinking about your performance you become self-conscious and get in your own way. You have to get out of the way and focus on the story.

What helps you get out of your own way, now that’s an interesting topic. Dorothea Brande is big on wordless recreation for writers. Knitting, playing solitaire, walking. I do a lot of hiking. Lately I’ve also been baking, which seems to serve the same purpose. Do something that keeps you a little busy but mostly allows the mind to be quiet and then you can get out of your own way.