A very simple question...

[Paul Guyot]

What non-writing activity helps the most with your writing?

Meaning, when you're working, but not actually typing (or scribbling), what is it you do that always keeps the gears in the back of your head grinding on the story?

I have things I do when I absolutely DON'T want to think about writing in any way, and then there's the things when I don't want to think about writing, but I want my subconscious to be dealing with whatever I'm working on. This is what I'm asking you about.

Fishing is one of the best for me. And playing the guitar. And watching the Food Network.

[Stephen Blackmoore]

Oh, you just had to bring up Gymkata, didn't you?

[Karyn J. Powers]

I kick things around with my husband. He works in television so he always "sees" the scene. For sub-plot issues, I like to take a walk and think about whats going on in my neighborhood. We all have great imaginations, don't we? So those curtains that are always tied wierd two doors down, or the guy who comes home every night and unloads boxes, but who I never see loading boxes. He generates a lot of what-ifs for me. There's drug-grandma down the road. Sometimes the local news papers help, but often times they give me way too many ideas and I end up slipping another plot idea into the big file and not really working on my little problem. My vote is for the walk or the husband or a late breakfast with Jordan's husband....

[Jordan Dane]

Is there something I should know, K?

[Stephen Blackmoore]

For me, I get a lot done in my head while I'm driving. Which is a good thing, because I drive a lot. Probably a good reason to steer clear of me on the road, but I zone out a lot of the time and let my mind work through story problems.