Something I've noticed about my own writing process is I need to wait for That Thing to come along before I can get through something and know it'll be good.
It's hard to define That Thing. It's not character, situation or events, but a tangible mental clicking of all three, like a plug fitting into a socket. It's also a connection of the heart to the piece, because as with most writers I'm capable of churning out on autopilot, sometimes unawares.
Absence of That Thing doesn't stop me from starting or continuing a piece of writing, but I'm less confident without it. Once I feel it arrive, I suddenly write at twice the rate and can barrel through to the first draft finish fairly quickly. If That Thing hasn't arrived by the end of the first draft, a complete rewrite is likely until it gets conjured up. It sounds like mojo or muse, but it's not.
The best way to define it is a bird's eye snapshot of how the major events will go, but also in relation to the authenticity of the character motives. I suppose it's the writing equivalent of seeing a vision of the cake in progress for the first time, or just the trusty ingredients.
Odd, but when I feel That Thing touch down, I know it's going to get done and be satisfying, at least to me.
