Like a good soup, a story needs to simmer. So many times when I'm writing a new story, it just will not come together. I may have all of the ingredients- characters, setting, plot, conflict, resolution. I can even see how the scenes will unfold in my head. But for some reason, I can't get it onto paper, or in my case, computer file. It's frustrating to say the least.
However, if I'm patient, if I step away from the project totally for awhile, when I come back, miraculous things have happened. All of a sudden, the story just flows. The time away has allowed all of the flavors of the story to mingle together. Thoughts and ideas have simmered in the back burner of my imagination without my even realizing it. When I was busy muddling around with other things, the story cooked into a glorious, bubbling soup.
Next time, my goal is not to be anxious when the soup isn't perfect the minute I throw the ingredients into the soup pot. It will take time. I'm going to enjoy the simmer.
