You Can Use That

The air conditioning broke at my house yesterday. So, after work, I took refuge in my basement with food and a movie. Only no one told me the maintenance man had arrived. Otherwise I definitely would've rethought my Yay-Work's-Over clothes.

                                       

Thankfully my mom gave me enough of a warning before the guy came down the steps. I leaped off the floor and sprinted out the back door. Of course an insane thunderstorm was brewing. Wind, dark sky, the whole shebang. I found myself waiting outside for ten minutes until my sister sent me a "He's gone" text. And then a follow up that said "The AC guy looks like Toby from The Office."

                                      

Though I could've done without the heart attack and mad-dash last night, those moments are awesome for writers. Everything that happens to us is perfect ingredients for our books. Sure, maybe I won't use my almost encounter with the AC guy in my novel, but I'll definitely understand the pure panic associated with needing to hide.

                                     

Writers should use their experiences. Their heartbreaks, challenges, accomplishments, silly moments, characteristics, everything. 

And even if you don't mean to, it sneaks in anyway.

Virginia Woolf puts it best...

"Every secret of a writer's soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind is written large in his works."