JHS, thanks for sharing what works best for you. On the other hand, what new possibilities might be in store if you tried something new when writing? When you say, "I can't," it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy so I can see why you go with the same routine.
I understand writers each develop their own methods and it's like "putting on old slippers," but can they grow, if they're open to try new strategies?
Perhaps I have been writing a certain way for too many years so, like the proverbial old dog, I can't learn new tricks. This method simply doesn't work for me. I edit as I go. Always have and probably always will.
Mark, we can all benefit from your idea of telling that gremlin to hold on... that we truly want his ideas in a little while.
I'm going to put that one to work when I create my next blog. This gives the editor equal place as he should have. He helps our writing shine!
Thanks for visiting Brain Based Biz and for your input!
How do I keep the editing gremlin at bay while I'm creating? By assuring that part of my creative self that it's important, that its contributions have value and that its time will come...down the road, once the initial, free-flowing parts of creation are done.
- Mark David Gerson
author of The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write
www.calltowrite.com
Anna, your story about the fitness club reveals quite a bit about your hubby. 
I appreciate your follow-up!
Hi Robyn, I could not resist, I really like this statement: 'Perhaps they seek the "perfect" plan before launching.', I think this may be true with my husband, lol. Just kidding aside, its like we talked about joining some kind of fitness activities one day, do you know that he was going to train at home before so he can be perfect when he joins - and what is then a purpose of joining the club, lol. Thanks again, Anna 
Anna, fact is that many people do brainstorm while doing routine and mundane jobs. We can do the routine on auto-pilot so to speak and do the thinking. Why? The human brain loves puzzles and challenges to move out of boredom. Many people put things together in their head before putting it down on paper or carrying it out. Perhaps they seek the "perfect" plan before launching.
I'm so glad you have the great nursery your husband envisioned. I'll be checking back now and again to see how that precious little boy is progressing.
Thanks for bringing additional thought to your earlier comment.
Thanks Robyn. I think so Robyn, but you know he seems to do excellent job on the end. However, sometimes I think that he brainstorms in his head, because I just see him looking front of him. You know he is slow doing things in general, but on the end I have to tell you, job is really well done. Just like babies room, I thought I would deliver baby before he finishes, because he made all these paper planning for days, and I saw no progress, but once he kept going - it was Wow. So Robyn, on the end I may be wrong, may be he brainstorms in his head, and puts clean stuff on paper. Where I am opposite, but sometimes I do to find myself brainstorming when doing no brainer jobs like laundry, and then when I get to do the real thing, it really comes out good. Again Robyn, thanks for the wishes, and thanks for the visit to my blog to meet my baby. Anna
A new baby, Anna! I wondered where you were and I missed you at My Only Photo. I'll be right over to see the precious new babe.
Thanks for showing two approaches here. Do you think your husband slows down a bit doing both tasks at once. Perhaps that is what does it!
I appreciate your visit.
Karen, while Robert Hruzek hog ties the editor, you kick him! Wow, I can see you both mean business. I so agree that the way to move forward is to write with reckless abandon. That is the absolute fun part. After reading what Joanna shared here, I can see that the later polishing can be a very rewarding creative experience, too. I'm all for that and will be putting these ideas to work!
Thanks so much for adding your experiences to the discussion.
Hey Robyn, great post and I can also related. I just love brainstorming and writing all ideas first, I can fill pages and pages of ideas, and then write into proper format. However, my husband is the other way, he likes to do it all at once, and I have to mention he is good at it, just takes him forever, lol. BTW Robyn I would like to invite you to my blog to meet my baby, a reason for my absence. Anna
Robyn, this is a great discussion. I loved Joanna's comment about editor and critic. I never thought of it in that way but she is right on target. I kick the Editor (and critic) out of the room and give myself permission to write with reckless abandon. I have found this is much easier when I write with pen and paper. Typing makes it too easy for the editor to command the keyboard and begin deleting and backspacing!
Robyn, if it's good with you, it's good with me. Thanks for hosting a fantastic conversation here.
Joanna
Robert, I started to respond to you as I was flying out the door this morning. I didn't post half-done, so thanks for your patience.
I know what you mean about hog-tying that editor gremlin who wants to jump in too soon! You have a very different style of writing, Robert, that has fascinated me since you cross out sections and let readers see what you change.
Would you be willing to tell us a little more about how this started and your rationale? To tell you the truth I've been very curious about that.
By the way, I love the sound of Joanna's skewiff, too, Robert.
Joanna, your well thought out comment really made me think about editing in a new way. I also believe you can bring creativity to it once you've finished the freewriting.
I'm a person who loves to play with words as well.
Joanna, I think this piece is fine, but I want you to make the choice of whether you'd like to polish since I'll be putting your name up front.
Please do give me the high sign if it's OK.
Robyn, thanks for tolerating my lengthy comment! Let me know if you'd like me to turn it into a more polished post for you - I'd be honoured for you to share some of my words here. It's one of the coolest places on the blogosphere
Robert, turns out skewiff is 'UK playground slang'! I didn't know that. I use it a lot - it means askew, awry, gone adrift, bit off course, bit wonky.
I do love the way that we can all share words and phrases with each other like this
Joanna
Hi Karen, the number strategy could work very well. In my mind it's a matter of keeping them separated and it seems and issue many face problems with.
I'm wondering if this is the gremlin we hear when we face writer's block.
It'll be interesting to see what other strategies folks bring to the discussion of what works for them to keep these separated when freewriting.
Brad, you ask a good question. In some ways it's harder to see the gaps in our own writing because what may be very clear to us, might not be expressed as clearly for others. Because we look from our own perspective, we cannot "see ourselves as others see us," so to speak.
That's why comments mean so much to us as bloggers. My mind keeps going to the "Age of Conversation" and the ways conversations benefit us. But there's much more to editing writing that's for sure and like you I have much to learn.
Joanna's just brimming with ideas here and I sense we'll be finding many strategies to learn more in near future.
Thanks, Brad, for sharing this nuance!
Joanna, you did indeed write a post here and with your permission, I'd like to bring it to the fore as a guest post.
I note a few things here... New ideas were stirred by my post... And, followed by yours and others' comments helps us all to polish our work. we're getting to the best! Collective ideas take us deeper.
For a long time, I've heard Ellen say you cannot be a critic and a creator at the same time because they are at opposite ends of the pole and negatives take over...
That is why we need writers like you, Joanna, who help us stay on a positive path to write with confidence.
You are so right, a writer must have a purpose and a plan before starting. By sticking to that in the creative processes, he or she can get there.
I love the way you actually make the editing process just as creative for writers. This is an area of growth for me as a writer. That's just one reason I keep learning from you and your brilliant explanations to readers of Confident Writing.
I've been experimenting lately with hog-tying my inner editor and keeping him out back while I write initial drafts. Unfortunately the little feller is quite the escape artist!
But when I'm successful at freewriting, I can get a lot done. Thanks for putting a few sparks in this morning's thoughts, Robyn!
And Joanna... "skewiff"? I don't know what it means - but I love the sound of it!
My problem is that the Critic and the Creator are always vying for front row seats in my brain when I sit down to write.
Maybe I should have them take a number?
This discussion has me thinking, is it easier to edit your own writing, or someone else's? Is it more interesting to add "oomph" to someone else's words, or your own? Editing is a subject I'd like to learn more about.
Robyn, thanks once again for exploring some of the brain science behind this common complaint. Fascinating stuff as usual, though I'm curious - do you literally change hats? Or put an editor's hat on?
I think I might distinguish between the editor and the critic. Editing can actually be quite a creative task, just different from getting the words down. It can be enormously satisfying cutting, shaving and polishing so the best words show off in all their glory.
Or to put it another way, to cut the excess words and allow the natural rhythm of the piece to flow - to find the punch, the oomph, the unstoppable force which will leave your readers reeling
The critic I think of as the person who asks: is this a good idea? should it be written like this? now? or saved for later. Think on, think hard.
When things go skewiff is when we let the critic talk to us before we've written anything, because he (why does the critic appear as a he? well he does in my mind!)is likely to anticipate our very worst, mediocre, dull boring writing... and stop us writing anything
This gets worse when we compare our feeble efforts (not yet written) to the demands and expectations of our audience. It'll never be good enough, people will laugh... that is, we anticipate criticism
The way I get round this is to focus on my purpose. A positive purpose like: to express a powerful idea, to share some important news about brain research, to inspire someone, to let people know about the fantastic work we've been doing. Something that makes me feel positive, enthusiastic, and motivated. I keep focused on that, then let the words flow.
It's the most effective way I know to keep the critic at bay and let the writing job be done.
Gosh, that was a long comment, almost a post. I've been meaning to write a post on this, so might use this as the raw material for it. Thanks!
Joanna
Ellen, since I have learned many writing strategies from you, and you introduced me to the work of Natalie Goldberg, I am deeply humbled that I have helped you this time around!
You also told me that it is impossible for a person to be a critic and a creator at the same time. I knew this was true, but your comments and a student's question, prompted me to take a deeper dive into the research to learn more.
May your creativity soar and I hope your proposal ruffles the reader because you hit the target!
What perfect timing for this post Robyn, as I am writing a huge proposal tonight. Thanks for the reminder which we all need -- to allow the deep dives and even the playfulness - before we begin to shape final copy.
Makes a person leave your post and look forward to the freefall of good ideas that shape our words on a good day! cool! Ellen
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