Tidbits

  Snoopy couldn't have said it better. Writing, though rewarding, is difficult, even when you have a clear idea of what you are doing. I find the biggest problem to be "substance estimation", a phrase I use to describe when your idea of how long the writing piece will be is off by a lot. You could start a short story and end up with a huge novel (my first piece of work, Shadow's Dolls, turned out like this), or what you expect to be a large chunk of pages can actually be the size of a part-time handbook (my current novel). 

  So here is the solution I came up with: "Tidbits".

  "Tidbits" are random little points, scenes, lines of dialogue, or other things that you just happen to write or think up one day. They may fit in perfectly with a plotline you are already mapping out or have no relevance to your current story at all. But let me tell you, they can be a lifesaver if you have writer's block. Tidbits are great for bridging gaps in stories or building up to major plot points. They can also serve as an inspiration to other subplots if you are stuck or feel the story has no meat on it.  

  To find tidbits, dig through your old scrapped works and try to find ancient ideas that might be relevant to your current work. You may need to considerably clean up and modernize the piece, but try to make it fit. 

  One word about writing with tidbits: they are the icing on the cake, not the cake itself. Relying on them to carry the basic story alone will not work. But if used correctly, they can enhance your writing and your wording considerably.