A certain alchemy happens when writers sit down to write. I don’t pretend to understand it. I’m just grateful that it happens.

It doesn’t start immediately. You have to have a thought about what you’re going to write. It doesn’t necessarily mean the entire story, perhaps it’s just one scene. You have an idea how it’s going to go but nothing specific. Then you start writing and something wonderous occurs. When your fingers stop clicking, you read back at those words and not only have you captured every detail you’d hoped, but you have added tension, a subplot, or a level of intensity to the character that you never even imagined.

How does this magic happen? I have no idea. Something to do with neurons and the subconscious, I suppose; at least, that’s what psychologists would say. I’m not a psychologist, I’m a writer, and so I know better than to put the process under a microscope. It’s enough for me to know that it happens, and that it’s largely beyond my control.

Despite that acknowledgement, I do know the elements that can help me access the zone.

It begins and ends with focus. If you’re distracted by watching the clock, by listening to what your children are up do, or by daydreaming about the big cheques that may lie in your future, you’re not very likely to succeed. You need to focus exclusively on the work. Here are some things that might help.

Manage your environment

Set the temperature so it’s comfortable. Make sure your desk and chair feel good, and that your lighting is just right. Minimise distractions. That means turn off the electronics: no X or social media, no phones, no TV. Get comfortable. You can use noise-cancelling headphones too. “Do not disturb” signs on the door may also help, depending on the rest of the household.

Select your time

Of course, your options here may be limited, but if possible try to work at a time when your home is quiet, and when you are less likely to be interrupted. A lot of writers swear by the first thing in the morning The idea is if you work when you first wake up, your subconscious is most easily accessed. I must confess, I tried this for a while, but I didn’t find it particularly helpful. I do better when I’m awake and relaxed. Still, you might be more successful than I have been.

Visualise your scene

Visualisation can be very helpful to writers. Watch the scene unfold as if you were watching a film. If you’re more an audio than a visual person, imagine someone is reading the story to you. I tend to do my visualisation at night. I let the scene play out in my head. Oftentimes, I waken with a clearer image of how the scene should play out. Letting my subconscious work while I sleep can stimulate all sorts of ideas.

Have a plan

It doesn’t have to be in-depth. You should know what characters the scene involves and what it needs to do, at least in general terms. It can help to have a general idea of how long the scene should be, whether you’re aiming for a paragraph or several pages. Try to keep your plan fairly loose so there is space for the magic to happen.

Set the scene then let it go

Just write. Don’t keep reading your previous sentences to see if they look magical yet. That isn’t focus, and it will prevent anything but the most prosaic work from happening. Just do the work.

Don’t be disappointed if it takes time to see the results you want. It will happen when you least expect it. In fact, that’s almost certain, because, like the arrival of Santa Claus, it only happens when you aren’t watching for it. Put the work first and make that your focus. Magic works on its own timetable.

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