The 'Incubation' Method for Scientific Writing

“Although I have been advocating getting pen to paper as early as possible, there are writers who let an idea remain in their heads for a long time. They will ruminate at length, letting the subconscious stay constantly engaged with the subject so that characters, plot and atmosphere form without any forced deliberation… The trick, I suppose, is knowing when to stop dreaming and get down to it.” - Ross Raisin

For many people there’s a period of time after researching and outlining a topic and before sitting down to write about it during which they simply think about it. Long or short, this invisible and intangible act is a perfectly valid part of the drafting process known as incubation or percolation time.

How does the incubation method work?

How or when it works varies for each individual. Authors who use it will take time before any drafting begins to process and integrate their research into a coherent message.

Some will draft an entire article or essay at a time. Others may compile smaller pieces like paragraphs or sentences between writing bouts.

The key to this method is finding time to actively think about your writing project without trying to also put words on the page.

To avoid the guilt of “doing nothing”, consider using repetitive tasks like washing dishes, walking, and driving to facilitate mind wandering and rumination on your topic without feeling unproductive. Be sure to keep a notepad or voice recorder nearby to collect any good thoughts! Then you can review them when it’s time to put pen to page.

When should I use the incubation method?

If you have a writing project that feels disconnected, disjointed, or otherwise unclear when you sit to work on it then you might benefit from some time away from your project. A week or even a couple of days can often provide the space necessary for your brain to process the material and find solutions.

What about deadlines?

In many cases, your project will have a deadline. Sometimes days but usually weeks or months away. Working backward from the deadline, create a timetable to identify when the first draft needs to be completed, and work in at least one week between ending your main research phase and beginning the drafting phase. That should be enough incubation time to mentally assimilate and organize your research. For shorter projects and deadlines, you may only need (or have available) a day or two.

Resources

• 7 Methods for Writing Your First Draft

• Percolation Time

The introduction and full list of methods for writing the first manuscript draft.