Writing is like bread baking.
No, really! Let me explain.
You start with the basics.
- Yeast: The initial idea. The spark that’s going to make your writing grow into a loaf of bread. (Well, you know what I mean.)
- Flour: This is the substance, the main argument. Really, without the flour, what’s the point of baking? Or writing?
- Water: Flour may be the building blocks, the structure, but without the water, it’s going to fall apart. This helps tie it together, blend together
- Salt: The extra zing that makes it come alive, that adds savor to keep it interesting.
Once You’ve Mixed Your Ingredients, You Need to Work It
Just mixing flour, water, salt, and yeast in a bowl is not going to automatically give you bread. You need to turn it out on the counter and knead it. Work with it, play with it. Stretch it, push it, tug it. The original ingredients just give you the potential. You’re the one who has to put it all together. It’s YOUR effort that builds the structure. Flour and water don’t automatically generate gluten–to get the right crumb, the right texture, it’s up to you.
You Need to Let it Rest
After you’ve worked and prodded your writing for a while, you both need to take a break. This gives a chance for the structure to strengthen and the flavors to meld. You’ll end up with something if you bake it right away, but if you want the real flavor and texture of good bread … you need to let it sit.
Likewise, with your writing, there’s a certain point where you need to walk away. After you’ve got your first draft on paper, and certainly before you hit “Publish” or send it to a client. This is your chance to check not only for typos and grammatical errors, but for flaws in the overall structure. How can you make it better? Is your argument faulty? Are you missing a key point? Taking a break is important … at least, if you want this to be as good as it needs to be.
Give it its Final Shape, and Then Let it Rest Again
Yep. After you’ve walked away, come back and reworded your draft … do the same thing again. Walk away. At this point, it should be perfect and ready to go, but this is your last chance to get a fresh look.
Bake it Hot and Fast
A hot oven, some steam … Does this sound like the publication pressure cooker? You have to do it. It’s not officially writing until it comes out the other end. Whether that just means posting your new blog entry or sending the job off to a client, it’s not done until it’s DONE.
It’s true, there can be some problems at this stage. Your perfect dough can get scorched by a cranky client, it could be dropped on the floor by a careless one. They might decide that, instead of bread, they now want cinnamon rolls, and can you do that?
The Reward is Hot, Crispy Goodness
This is the best part. After all the work, all the waiting, all the careful additions … at the end, if everything went well, you have a feast for the senses.
How satisfying is that?
(And, folks? Yes, I DID take all those yummy pictures myself!)
–Deb’s last blog post..Curse-Breaking
I believe a lot of writers find themselves buried up to their ears in lumps of dough, material that’s just waiting to get inside that nice, hot oven. Baking bread is a great metaphor for writing and this was a fun read Deb!
Melissa Donovan’s last blog post..Why Proofreading Matters
@Melissa–And I could take it further … Writing that is so over worked it’s clearly burnt; writing that is so poor it’s clearly half-baked; writing that is so bland the salt was obviously left out … It’s hard turning out the perfect loaf every time!
–Deb’s last blog post..Curse-Breaking
Hi Deb!
My first time on your blog and I love “Let the yeast do the work”. You photos are gorgeous! My mouth is watering. I, too, am a bread-baker and writer. I think the two go together like honey and butter. It’s great to take a break from writing and knead the dough. I love the physical creativity of it. Thanks for sharing your ice cubes in the oven trick. I never heard that, but can’t wait to try it.
I blog at http://storyforce-storyforce.blogspot.com/
I love it! I agree with Melissa that this is a fun metaphor and read. I loved it so much I gave it a stumble and tweeted it! 🙂
*smiles*
Michele
P.S. Makes us readers a little hungry, though. 😉
Michele’s last blog post..Don’t Let Your Past Keep You from Your Future
Hi Deb-
My first time on your website and I love your post on bread and writing. Your photos are fabulous! Makes my mouth water. I, too, and a bread-baker and writer. The two go together like butter and honey. It’s great to take a writing break and go knead the dough. I really think the physical work sparks my creativity, plus I just love the feel of kneading. Thanks for sharing about the ice cubes. I never heard of that. Can’t wait to try it.
I’m one of the StoryForce group.
Mary’s last blog post..A Valentine for Children in Need
Awesome post, Deb! I don’t even bake (or cook for that matter) but it’s spot on. I think this process is universal; you will hear fiber artists often saying the same thing – particularly letting it sit for a bit and then coming back for another look with fresh eyes.
Now can you put that nice, fresh loaf of bread along with a stick of Cabot butter in the teleporter and send it to me? Pretty please?
Mary McRae’s last blog post..Home
@Michele–Sorry about the hungry thing … that part I can’t help! I’m glad you liked the post, though–and thank you for the retweet, too!
@Mary–Thank you! Here’s the recipe that got me started baking bread, 21 years ago. (Yikes) http://chappysmom.com/2009/01/25/bread-3/ Who knew you COULD throw ice cubes into the oven?
@Mary M–If I had a teleporter, I’d bring it to you personally!
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