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People Don't Think Alike

People don't think alike, and the strangest of all are writers.


To prove it,
here are some examples:


Snow 
A child:  What fun. Snowball fights, sledding, ice skating, snow forts. 
A stay-at-home adult: How pretty. Great time to hibernate. 
A worker: Please, not more of that stuff. It'll take forever to get to work today.
An animal lover: The poor dears can't get to their food. Time for me to feed them.
A writer: It's hard to hear footsteps in the snow. Perfect for my villain to sneak up.

Easter
A child: Can't wait for my Easter Basket. Hope it has good candy in it. 
A woman: Can I find a new outfit in time, or will someone notice if I wore the same thing as last year?
A worker: Will the boss let me out early the Friday before, or by some miracle, give me the whole day off?
An animal lover: Easter Bunny decorations are so adorable.
A clergyman: Why is Easter so secularized?
A writer: I've got to write this great idea down before I forget, but I have no paper. Will anyone notice if I use the napkin from the brunch buffet to write on?

Summer
A child: School's out, schools out, teacher let the monkeys out.
A stay-at home adult: How can I entertain this dear child until the school year mercifully starts again?
A worker: Can't wait for vacation. Where should I go this time?
An animal lover: I must remember to fill the bird bath. It can get hot out there.
A writer: Hmm, people open windows at night to save on air conditioning. Easy access for bad guys. That should work well in my plot.

Can you think of other examples? Please share.


Experience the diversity & versatility of Morgan Mandel. For romantic comedy: Her Handyman & Girl of My DreamsThriller: Forever Young: Blessing or CurseShort Stories Sequel: the Blessing or Curse CollectionRomantic suspense: Killer Career. Mystery: Two WrongsTwitter:@MorganMandel Websites: Morgan Mandel.Com Chick Lit Faves 

Comments

  1. So true, Morgan. This is what makes writing fun...and diverse...and interesting. Imagine all the above in one household. Yikes!

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  2. That would be funny, Linda, if all the above happened in the same household!

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  3. Great post, Morgan, and so true! We see opportunities for mystery everywhere!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, and yes, everything is a mystery, especially when you least expect it!

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  4. Snow, Easter, and summer as categories? I think you proved your point, Morgan.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, interesting how we see those topics differently too. Good eye, Christopher.

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    2. Yes, I could have picked any categories and gotten different answers from different people.

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  5. A great way to show us how different folks are, and I liked how consistent you were with the characters in your examples. We need to make sure we stay consistent in our novels.

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    Replies
    1. Consistency is not always easy. I did cheat a little with my examples, but not on too many.

      Delete
  6. Love this, Morgan! Very insightful.

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  7. But imagine the horror of all of us experiencing life exactly the same as everyone else. Here's to each of us seeing through our own eyes!

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    Replies
    1. You've got a point Elspeth. Interacting with others and seeing their point of view makes life rich.

      Delete
  8. I notice all sorts of things when I walk around and wonder if they are spy signals: oddly placed graffiti, a plastic bag on the roadside (does it contain a body?), loose bricks, convenient hidey-holes. I can never be accused of lacking imagination. :)

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    Replies
    1. Diana, yes, you exhibits many symptoms of being a writer!

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  9. Using your framework:
    A BOX
    - a child thinks "I can make a cool fort out of this"
    - a stay at home mom thinks "I need to recycle this cardboard"
    - an animal lover thinks "my cat will love this box"
    - a writer thinks "what deadly critter just crawled out of that box into my protagonist's clothes...

    What fun!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have never liked summer. I did fine during the year when the kids were little or in school. But during the summer, my kids had friends in and out the front door, they were out, too, and too much busyness. I couldn't wait until school began to get everyone where they belonged, and I could do my own thing.

    ReplyDelete

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