Pipe Dreams, TV, and Random Research

A writer looking out the window is a writer at work. A writer sitting on a bench eavesdropping on a conversation is a writer at work. Even a writercrammed into a tiny, clutteredspace searching the internet while a catwiggleshis way into more and more of her chairis a writer at work—as you can see. The list of things writers do that others see as wasting time or daydreaming is endless.

However, sometimes, even for writers, daydreaming is just daydreaming.

This is a healthy thing. It’s abroomthat...