Yesterday, I was invited to interview with Mutual of Omaha’s national “aha moment” tour, making a stop where I live. Since I’ve been a teacher almost all of my adult life, mine was when I discovered that although the adage says, “Those who can, do and those who can’t teach,” I can do both. I teach writing and I write. That’s got me thinking: Writers probably have lots of aha moments.
Writing Tip for Today: All along the writing path, aha moments are sprinkled for every writer, new or experienced. Could be the moment you knew exactly what to write or the moment you solved a problem and knew what you shouldn’t write. Gabrielle Rico’s “Cluster Method” of brainstorming uses aha moments to indicate when the writer knows the angle or topic needed for an essay or other work. What’s your aha moment?

Try This! Put an abstract word (love, justice) or an emotion (anger, grief) in a circle on a clean sheet of paper. Now free associate by drawing spokes around the circle, jotting down events or experiences that illustrate the word you chose. When you reach an “aha!” moment, stop. Now, write for a few minutes on that experience. Flesh out your story by using characters, dialogue and action.