Time

Since I haven't had enough time--which is the way my life always feels--here are some recent thoughts regarding time and writing:

1. Some stories/essays percolate in your brain before the thing, nearly intact, comes gushing onto the pages.

2. Some pieces need time to sit in a drawer so you can come back to the pages with a clearer view of what is actually on the page and some energy for editing/rewriting/rethinking.

3. Some pieces have to go back into the drawer several times.

4. When you do an immersion piece, you do have to spend time on location, as fond as you might have become of writing quick features relying on phone interviews.

5. Often, at some point, you'll have spent enough time immersed.

6. There's nothing wrong with sitting and thinking before you write--as long as you're thinking about the story.

7. It's time for me to go to sleep, which precludes writing any more right now.