As some of you might be aware, back in June I was the writer-in-residence at a Maine writer’s retreat. I  had a ball there, no only helping others in their writing and promotion but also in having ample time to write for myself. Trust me, it’s a challenge to have all day to write.

One evening’s exercise, however, was eye opening. The host gave us a setting: a hospital room. Included in that room were these items: a bed, a plastic chair, a plastic water pitcher and glass, a trash can with a liner, a window depicting mountains in the background, and a picture on the wall of a cow. At that point, each of us was instructed to take two characters we were already writing about in whatever work-in-progress we had, plant them in that setting, and write a scene.

I saw, like, wowed.

Which characters? How in the world would I take my beach and Carolina Lowcountry characters and put them in the mountains? For a minute or so, I was stymied. But then I did what I preach to so many, I just started writing, having chosen Slade and Wayne from my Carolina Slade Mystery Series as the two players.

Oh, did I tell you we only had 20 minutes?

Then we had to read each one aloud. By this time of the retreat, we had gotten to know each other so the reading aloud part wasn’t so ominous anymore. The diversity was amazing. One scene depicted someone dying. Another took place in a psych ward. Some involved mothers, others spouses. Most were dark, some dramatic.
Mine was a comical banter of Slade arguing with Wayne, her having done something irresponsible to land her overnight in the hospital. The laughter around the room just filled my soul.

Writing is one of life’s tools in which you can be richly individualistic and leave your mark. That alone should have you craving to write. There were ten different interpretations of that assignment, and no two were similar.

So, the next time you think someone will copy your idea, don’t worry about it. They’ll never write it like you will. Writing is the practice of you, being you, in the purest manner you can.

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“A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that “individuality” is the key to success.” – Robert Orben