I rolled my eyes at 'write what you know' for the longest time...

Then I wrote a short story about a concrete pour going wrong, using all the little details I see every day, and it just clicked. The feedback was that it felt real in a way my fantasy stuff never did. Has using your day job ever unlocked a story for you?

3 comments

3 Comments

lewis.finley27d ago

Yeah, it's weird how that works. I used to write these big space operas, but the part that always felt flat was the bureaucracy. Then I did a story about a guy stuck in a permit office, just the slow grind of paperwork I deal with, and it came alive. The frustration was real because I'd lived it. Suddenly the space stuff felt like set dressing, and the guy at the desk was the story.

vera_johnson927d ago

Totally get what you mean about the space stuff feeling like set dressing. I had the same thing happen. I tried writing this epic fantasy with dragons and it just felt fake. Then I wrote about my aunt arguing with the cable company for three hours, and it was the best thing I'd ever done. All that made up magic felt empty next to someone real just trying to get their internet fixed. It's like you have to dig up your own bad day to make it good.

the_wendy27d ago

Turns out the secret to good writing is just being annoyed at your job. All my best stuff is just thinly veiled complaints about spreadsheets. Who knew misery was such a good muse?