I went to lunch with a friend and, at the end of the lunch, looked in my purse for one of those reward card thingies. You know, the kind where they hole-punch the card and after six meals, you get a freebie.
Fortunately, this was a good friend and did not flinch when the gobs and gobs of stuff came out of my bag.
There was a book light, my daughter’s nylon wallet, an old retainer in a plastic case, expired coupons, pictures of my kids in case they get lost (the authorities would have to do a time-lapse thing on them, because the pictures are years old), headphones, a necklace…well, you get the sad picture.
The only useful things I did have (besides the reward card, which I finally did find), were paper, pens, and a box of pencils.
I think the reason I carry so much in my pocketbook is a somewhat misguided attempt to be prepared. Because I was a Girl Scout, back in the day.
But, unless I needed to suddenly straighten someone’s teeth while peering in their mouth with a book light, I really wasn’t prepared to do anything but write.
That’s the nice thing about writing—you can pick it up at a moment’s notice if you have just a scrap of paper and a pencil. And I spend a lot of time writing on the go.
If you’d like to be able to write at a moment’s notice:
Know a short scene you can write. Have a smattering of dialogue you need to write? Need to write some setting descriptions to intersperse in your book? These are quick things you can write.
Know where you left off. The nice thing is that you can pick up in a different part of your book if you’re not sure. Because, by golly, I have rewritten a scene while I was waiting for my car to be washed and didn’t remember for the life of me that I’d already written that section. If you’re not sure, pick up at a different point.
You can find interesting extras for your book almost anywhere. I believe I mentioned the tanning booth lady at the roller skating rink. Sometimes, just like a movie producer, you need some extras for local color. If you’re out and about, this can be a good time to canvass the area for traits, unusual habits, and dialect.
Write short outlines. This is a great time to sketch out a plan for the next few pages, the next scene, or the next chapter if you’re feeling ambitious.
Brainstorming lists can be done in minutes. Think about something completely different. What if your plot suddenly took a tragic turn? What might happen next? You don’t have to commit to this plan…it’s just there to fire up your imagination.
Describe your characters. In only minutes, you can think up as many adjectives as possible to apply to a character (and get to know them better). Or you can think of different scenarios and how they would react: If John were in a dentist’s chair, he would be acting ________.
I’ve actually managed to get some quality writing time on the go, thanks to having paper and a pencil in my pocketbook and a plan in my head.
Now I just need to work on getting the rest of that stuff out of my purse.
I agree completely — An idea can hit you anywhere, anytime, so we’ve got to be prepared! I’ve learned that if I let that idea go and assume I’ll remember it later, it never makes it to the paper.
Great advice! It’s good to remember that you CAN write in little bits and pieces. I tend to get hung up on major word counts for the day.
Elle Parker
http://elleparkerbooks.blogspot.com/
I thought I should have an ‘open at your own risk’ sign hanging from my purse – looks like I’m not alone! I always have plenty of pens but sometimes paper is scarce – that’s when I discover what old wrinkled receipts are good for.
Jane Kennedy Sutton
http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com/
My habitual clutter obviously extends to my pocketbook as well. Great ideas for those orts of potentially wasted time!
Excellent advice here, and a good example of how a writer thinks – turning an embarrassing moment into fodder for how to improve the writing career. :)
The Old Silly from Free Spirit Blog
Sigh. Am I EVER gonna be with the majority??? Not while the majority is sane, probably not. BUT, I need peace, quiet, structure and organization to get anything done…even scraps.
Still, why not try to expand my capabilities a bit. I’m gonna keep writing materials around and scribble stuff when the opportunity permits. Growth and change can be good.
Now, where’s my purse.
Best Regards, Galen.
GalenKindley.com
Women and handbags! Have you used it as murder weapon in your mystery yet?
In Quest of Theta Magic
I write everything down, and I mean everything–story ideas, things to do, books to read, website links–and throw all the notes in the same pile. It’s very calming to know the note is there if I ever need it.
Patricia
Boy, could I identify with the mental picture of the purse, lol. Problem is, the bigger the purse the more stuff I feel obligated to carry.
I also like to make sure I always have something to write with – pens, pencils and I use unlined index cards – they tend to not get lost in the purse clutter as easily
Nancy, from Just a Thought…
A wonderful post. I do carry writing stuff in my handbag, but it’s always buried beneath all the other junk. I continue to admire your multitasking abilities!
I worked for years at a psychiatric center, and many of the women inpatients fervently clung to their purses, even when there was nothing in them but used tissues. It’s an integral part of our female identities, obviously