You know those moments when you read something, or hear someone say something that just strikes something deep down in you and it changes your perspective? And suddenly something you struggled with all falls into place?

I love those moments. They don't happen often enough for me.

My favourite one hit during this past NaNoWriMo which actually not only really helped me (just barely) get over the finish line, but finally gave me something to help keep at the story in the off-season. During NaNo, there's just something about that competition that can help you really get your butt in gear, but the challenge a lot of us face is how to keep it up after NaNo's done. I recall someone asking about how to silence the inner editor or how to not sort of edit yourself as you're writing, and someone responded with a brilliant (IMO) reply: how can you properly edit something that doesn't exist?

Often even a writer can't really see where the story's going to go, though you have the idea in your head. So much can happen between the first words and the last. Characters come and go, events change, things and people that weren't important suddenly are. Editing before the story's written I feel just hampers the story itself. Let it grow. Let it breathe. Let it become whatever it's going to become, and then shape it into perfection. Nevermind if it doesn't sound great now. It will in time. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I wish I could remember who said that.