Comments on: Incubation http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/ A mutual support group for SF/F Novelists Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:57:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Colleen http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/#comment-2985 Colleen Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:53:37 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/#comment-2985 Most of my incubating tends to happen in the back of my brain - and years before anything actually touches paper. Characters, scenese, dialogue, and themes get sort of filed under "I'll think about it later." Until, one day, there's a nearly audible click in my head as the gates to that part of my brain open and there's an outpouring of scenes, drama, tension, and emotion. Then, it's a scramble to get it all down and to make sense of the notes that I write in the car, on the bus, dripping wet from rushing out of the shower ... you get the idea. The active incubation takes about a month or two before I finally dig out what I think is going to be "the first scene" and actually start writing something that looks recognizably like a coherent work. But the back of the brain part? Could take years. Hard to say, as I'm busy trying not to think about it. Most of my incubating tends to happen in the back of my brain - and years before anything actually touches paper. Characters, scenese, dialogue, and themes get sort of filed under “I’ll think about it later.” Until, one day, there’s a nearly audible click in my head as the gates to that part of my brain open and there’s an outpouring of scenes, drama, tension, and emotion. Then, it’s a scramble to get it all down and to make sense of the notes that I write in the car, on the bus, dripping wet from rushing out of the shower … you get the idea. The active incubation takes about a month or two before I finally dig out what I think is going to be “the first scene” and actually start writing something that looks recognizably like a coherent work.

But the back of the brain part? Could take years. Hard to say, as I’m busy trying not to think about it.

]]> By: Mike Brotherton http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/#comment-2975 Mike Brotherton Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:40:14 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/#comment-2975 For the current project, the incubation period has been a decade, and while it's almost ready, there are still a few key research issues. Most ambitious project to date. For the current project, the incubation period has been a decade, and while it’s almost ready, there are still a few key research issues. Most ambitious project to date.

]]> By: Paula http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/#comment-2974 Paula Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:48:31 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/#comment-2974 For me it is when I am working out on the treadmill. It is pretty boring, even with my ipod on. My mind wants to be active and then boom I am off into another world. Time flies but then I have to rush to write down what I thought about! For me it is when I am working out on the treadmill. It is pretty boring, even with my ipod on. My mind wants to be active and then boom I am off into another world. Time flies but then I have to rush to write down what I thought about!

]]> By: Diana Pharaoh Francis http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/#comment-2973 Diana Pharaoh Francis Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:35:24 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/#comment-2973 Your opening sentence put me in mind of Alien and the little critter that attaches to the face. And then I thought, yep, that's when you know the novel has struck. It's insistent. It's implanting you. At some point, it will burst forth. Probably bloodily and painfully. But that's okay. I takes 'em any ways I can gets 'em. Your opening sentence put me in mind of Alien and the little critter that attaches to the face. And then I thought, yep, that’s when you know the novel has struck. It’s insistent. It’s implanting you. At some point, it will burst forth. Probably bloodily and painfully. But that’s okay. I takes ‘em any ways I can gets ‘em.

]]> By: Simon Haynes http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/#comment-2965 Simon Haynes Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:16:40 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/#comment-2965 That's funny, because I blogged about my own incubation process a couple of days ago: http://halspacejock.blogspot.com/2008/06/plotting-new-book.html Easier than pasting it all here ;-) That’s funny, because I blogged about my own incubation process a couple of days ago:

http://halspacejock.blogspot.com/2008/06/plotting-new-book.html

Easier than pasting it all here ;-)

]]> By: Karen Wester Newton http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/#comment-2962 Karen Wester Newton Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:31:22 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/06/18/incubation/#comment-2962 Usually ideas come to me when I'm lying in bed ready to sleep, or when I'm relaxing in a tub of hot water. It's difficult when I try to plot while doing other things. I once drove home from the grocery store and left all my groceries in the cart at the front of the store because I was concentrating on how to resolve an issue in a book. But these days I definitely need to write the ideas down soon after I get them or they can seep away under the pressure of work and family. Usually ideas come to me when I’m lying in bed ready to sleep, or when I’m relaxing in a tub of hot water.

It’s difficult when I try to plot while doing other things. I once drove home from the grocery store and left all my groceries in the cart at the front of the store because I was concentrating on how to resolve an issue in a book.

But these days I definitely need to write the ideas down soon after I get them or they can seep away under the pressure of work and family.

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