Writer, Let It Rest

 

By Karen Wingate

 

The process of writing is like bread baking.

 

I love to make homemade bread. Bread baking is one of those wonderful life tasks where art meets science, and history is tucked into the everyday. Ever since the Egyptians invented sourdough, bakers have used the living organism of yeast to harness the plant’s production of carbon dioxide to make loaves of bread with a scent and taste that speak of home.

 

It’s that rising process that fascinates me. After mixing and kneading, the baker rests so the dough can get to work. The carbon dioxide produced by the yeast stretches the strands of gluten embedded in the flour and expands the pile of dough to more than twice its size. The baker punches the air out of the dough, shapes it into loaves, and allows it to rise again before baking. If you don’t give the bread time to rise, your loaves will be dense and heavy—not the full beautiful loaf you’d like it to be.

 

Like bread, our writing efforts need a rest period too. I have had moments where inspiration floods my mind with a new idea. I’ll type furiously, exhilarated with the joy of bringing life to words. I’ll sit back with a sigh of contentment. This is so good! I think. Who could I send it to—right now? I whip out an email to an editor and my finger hovers over the Send button.

 

But I need to wait.

 

I need to allow my idea time to stretch and grow. I’ve learned to push my inspiration to the side and let it settle for at least two days. It’s amazing what then comes to mind. I think of better word choices, underdeveloped points, and new angles. I determine to remove certain sentences because they detract from the main thought or could be offensive to some of my readers. I’ll return to my creation, shape it up, and—sigh—let it set again.

 

Sometimes the wait and rework process happens several times. But each time, my thoughts stretch and restructure. In the end, my writing is clear, appealing, and strong because I have allowed it to set.

 

Yes, God inspires us with new ideas. But nowhere in Scripture does God intimate that the thoughts and words that enter our head are perfect the first time. Creation—particularly the science of bread baking—shows us that all nature is a process of growth. If it’s true for God’s creation, it’s also true for the articles, books, and blog posts we write.

 

Time for me to go do something else and let this article set.

Photo by Nadya Spetnitskaya on Unsplash

Photo by Kate Remmer on Unsplash

Karen Wingate, author of Grateful Heart: 60 Reasons to Give Thanks in All Things, has loved making homemade bread and giving it to others since she was a teenager. You can learn more about Karen and find her books, blog, speaking roster, and recipe blog on her website at www.karenwingate.com.