The annual Writer's Festival happened here last weekend, but somehow it managed to extend to four days. As usual it was a hot time, with lots of visitors and tourists swelling our population.
Fact is, besides the festival, there was the usual Saturday Farmers' Market, and a huge craft fair at another park, so Sechelt was a busy place.
As I looked at these crowds, it struck me that probably many of those folks, particularly the more mature ones, each had a story buried within them. I started to wonder how many of them actually get round to writing their stories. When you think about it, that is probably one of the greatest gifts you can bestow on your family and friends.
Then I started thinking about aging, and how it alters your perspective on living. That seems to happen more and more these days.
Uh oh, is this a problem?
A word, a gesture that reminds you of someone, or a photo taken long ago causes a flood of thoughts and memories. You cringe as you remember whole sentences spewing from a cruel teacher's mouth when you were in grade 2. On the other hand, you marvel as you remember Miss Todd, who used to subject all new grade 4 students to a reading of your composition during their orientation.
It's all very random stuff. But most of the time it's also long term memory stuff - things that happened in the past, people I knew, thoughts of, "whatever happened to so-and-so?"
Short term memory doesn't seem to be that important. What happened yesterday or last week takes a back seat.
Living in the moment!
Long ago, before these days of climate change, terrorists and pestilence, I was young and moderately beautiful. Now I'm considerably older. If someone mentions beauty and a fat rat's backside in the same sentence, I get a giggle out of it.
To find a topic worthy of writing about doesn't have to be earth shaking, you see. It just has to fire off some trivial trigger stored in my well-worn brain.
So what makes a story that everyone wants to read? You know, New York Times best seller for a year, something along those lines? All writers would love to have an affirmation of their work like that!
Science fiction is a very popular genre. You look at some of those books and wonder how someone comes up with that stuff. At first glance it seems like total imagination. But where did the spark come from, the seed that starts a mind fire in a writer's head? I'm willing to bet that spark started way back in early childhood. Something someone said or did--maybe someone who left an indelible impression of some sort. Then your imagination takes over and enlarges on it piece by piece.
About writers
Even though my writing occupation is endlessly challenging, it's also incredibly exciting, hard to switch off sometimes. Many writers are hopeless insomniacs because of this. Ideas don't seem to wait at the door, respecting the hours of the day or night. They just insist on coming in.
Have you ever thought of writing stories or books incorporating events of the past? I'd love to read all about it in the comments below or via email!
Vicki