Noodling -- a Writing Term?

Someone asked about a word I used in yesterday's post.
"Noodling"

Is this an 'official' writing term?
I have NO idea. But it's a word I use a lot when I'm not sure what I'm going to write.

When I noodle my way into a story, I sit down at the computer, open a word processing document, and begin writing. But what I'm writing is not the story I'll end up with. I'm writing conversations with myself. (part of which I actually transferred to yesterday's blog entry.

I began with the words Kill the Turkeys. Mentioned where the idea came from. (remember Sarah's video?) Why I wanted to write this. La-de-dah-de-dah. Why I was disturbed with 'save the turkeys' stories. Which led to what does happen on Thanksgiving? We're thankful for the harvest, which includes the beasts we kill to eat. What do we eat? What's served for Thanksgiving dinner? Who comes to this dinner -- relatives.

I began singing the hymn, We Gather Together ....
Then I typed it as my title
Changed it to "Gather 'round the table"
and I was off and running with what became the picture book manuscript.

All the above was the noodling I did as I worked my way into the story.
-wendie old