Introducing a conversation with a co-worker:
ME – I’m almost done my last task before I go on vacation.
Un-named Colleague (UC) – Oh…speaking of that, I have one more task for you.
ME – Is it gloating about my vacation? Cause I’m halfway through that task. <cute and un-cool gun fingers with wink>
UC – Ouch…That seemed unnecessary.
ME – Seemed, but wasn’t. Gloating is almost always necessary.
UC – You know this will come back to bite you.
ME – I know, karma may ruin my vacation, but I’ve been building up good karma to balance it (no kicking puppies here).
UC – You kick puppies?
ME – Of course not, what would make you think that?
UC – Never mind. I meant you will still get to go on your vacation, but in the future I’ll have the opportunity to laugh at your misfortune and I’ll take it.
ME – I know. That’s totally why I gloat.
UC – What?
ME – So in the future you can enjoy your gloating, guilt free, because I’ll deserve it.
UC – Um…
ME – It’s a service.
I love vacations. Not just for the opportunity to gloat over colleagues who still have to work…well that is nice. No, I really like vacations because they take away all the stress of my regular day and give me the opportunity to spend some extra energy on writing. I like to imagine that writing full-time would be a lot like being on vacation full time…ok I know that is deluding myself, but you can’t be too surprised because I also like to imagine that I’ve met Richard Dean Anderson and my ravishing looks (so often overlooked) and amazing wit entrance him, leaving him with no choice but to dedicate his life to me, my happiness and recreating romantic scenes from Stargate. (stop judging)
While on vacation I’m going to work on a script for a contest; a great new challenge. I’m going to try turning a short I wrote into a full-length script. Then when I get back I’ll dig back into my novel project (my partner and I have reached nearly 30,000 words, yay team!), and the edits on Riveted…I’m feeling very productive.
Writing Exercise:
Ask a friend to share a childhood experience. Not something painful or too personal, but something that they remember from their youth. Now give that experience to a fictional character. Use the experience as a jumping-off point, and let your imagination take over. Is the story an important memory that has shaped the life of someone who is now an adult? Or, will you write the continuation of the story from the point of view of this fictional child. Aim to spend thirty minutes developing a character or story based on this memory. Happy writing.
