Fog

This was the first morning of fogs which happen frequently in my part of British Columbia. The morning news had shots like the one I've got here and many of their traffic cameras showed nothing but grey. When I was driving my children to school this morning the only clue I had about other vehicles was the gleam of approaching headlights. Traffic lights were obscured. Fog was swirling around the high school transforming the landscape into the perfect setting for an old-fashioned ghost story.

Writers know about fogs as we all experience them from time to time. Where am I going? Who is here with me? Am I really the only person in the world?

Here are my ways of coping with the fog:

1. Look for the streetlights as they will always guide you home. A good outline will get you to the ending every time. Guaranteed. It might only be the end of a chapter, but even a small victory is a victory.
2. Pedestrians appear out of nowhere. Who is this character who has just shown up and insists upon speaking? Trust that they appeared for a purpose. It might only be to convey one piece of information and then they disappear again, but listen first. They may force you to look more closely at a plot point that you might have just driven through.
3. Be aware of other vehicles. You're not the only person traveling this road. We may be alone in our own cars (or houses) but we all know the road. Take comfort that there are others out there. It certainly helps me.
4. Don't rush. In my opinion, this applies to the entire writing process. Take the time to make an outline. Get to know your main and supporting characters. Attack that fearsome first draft with courage, but know that you have time to go back and change things. Slow and steady always wins the race.

Fogs always disappear. Bright autumn sunshine is now covering the roads and I can look up to a clear blue sky. May your writing be fog-free, or if you're experiencing a small weather disturbance be confidant that the road is still there if you look hard enough.