From my spot on Cape Breton Island, I waited for the worst, but Hurricane Bill didn’t deliver. He kept his big guns offshore, and delivered only rain and wind gusts that never reached more than the tree-bending stage. But, while Bill was a non-event weather-wise, he did wonders for my writing. The previous day was spent preparing for a power outage, which meant clearing the decks of laundry and dishes, and finishing all internet tasks. I was ready to be cut off from humanity. When it didn’t happen, I seized the opportunity.
I described the storm. I described my feelings of anticipation, knowing I would be alone in the house and maybe stranded without power. I described my letdown when it was over, and my excitement when I discovered it was now a “free day” with nothing to do but write.
Then, I took the main character from my novel in progress and did the same thing. Since Ellie is a 16 year old girl who just lost her mother, and is saddled with a father who lost all their savings in the market and is more concerned with his loss than her loss, it allowed me to explore her feelings –and the realization that she was pretty much alone in the world. Experiencing Hurricane Bill through her eyes I unearthed her deepest emotions. Writing in the moment showed me that she’s sad, she’s angry, she’s scared, and way down deep she’s even a little impressed by her resourcefulness and good judgment in the face of an emergency.
Thanks Bill. Thanks for not sending my lawn chair cushions into the next county, for not crashing any trees into power lines, and for giving me a day to learn such valuable information about Ellie.
Ginger Collins
http://coppertopcollins.blogspot.com
www.gingerbcollins.com
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7 Comments so far
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Your post reminded me of “snow days” in New England. I would get up in the morning—homework all done—ready for school—then the radio would call out, “Cathedral High School—Closed” and my heart would jump for joy!! A day with everything done—no chance of a new assignment—-ahhhh–that was freedom!
[Reply]
By Patricia Romboletti on 08.24.09 6:25 pm | Permalink
Sarah,
Loved the post title. I say you made good use of your time during a would-be troubling time. I’m delighted that Bill did not wreck havoc as first thought. Not only did you manage to write about the situation at hand, but you also managed to utilize it to inspire your other writing endures. Can’t wait to hear more about Ellie.
[Reply]
By Chrystal on 08.24.09 8:39 pm | Permalink
Life unfolds perfectly…
kat
[Reply]
By Kat Bourgeois on 08.24.09 10:16 pm | Permalink
Isn’t it interesting how we can get inside one of our fictional characters (a creature of our own imagination) and learn things we never imagined or invented. Sometimes I believe they are real; we only think we invented them.
Sounds as though you had a delightful day of peace and discovery. Lots of rain down our way, and no trees down.
[Reply]
By Kendra Bonnett on 08.25.09 3:22 am | Permalink
Ginger,
Glad to read that Bill offered opportunity rather than inconvenience. He brought us torrential rains at 2:00 a.m. but nothing more. Here’s hoping for a hurricane season with lots of writing time followed by no damage.
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By Liza on 08.25.09 2:59 pm | Permalink
FYI, I did retweet this, not certain if the counter is working, it still indicates 0
[Reply]
By Chrystal on 10.23.09 8:54 am | Permalink
Never mind, the counter has now changed.
.-= Chrystal´s last blog ..THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU CLICK ON THAT! =-.
[Reply]
By Chrystal on 10.23.09 8:54 am | Permalink
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