I know I’ve said this before, but, a writer, (meaning me) writes from experience – life happens, and knowledge – research happens. I think there are some things that are best learned second hand, through research or from other’s experiences, rather than one’s own experience.
I’ve been planning out a scene in my new book, Home to New Parish, where I had the main character, Brenda, in a rather compromising situation. That scene is going to help build the conflict between Brenda and the fella she’s going to be, eventually, falling in love with. I’d come up with the perfect embarrassing scenario to inflict upon her. I of course, had some knowledge of what it would feel like to have the experience I was intending on inflicting her with, but had never actually experienced it… until a couple of days ago…
Okay, so, I was in a parking lot, we won’t say where. I was preparing to get into a car, and suddenly felt a temperature change on my lower half… yes, my skirt fell down to my ankles. There was only one other person in the parking lot, this person was with me, this person handled the incident graciously. Me on the other hand… I quickly retrieved the lowered item and replacing my skirt in its upright position, I began to laugh. This isn’t just normal laughter I’m speaking of, the kind we experience during normal humorous occasions. It’s what’s called in my family, a giggle fit. You know the kind of laughter you can’t stop right away? There’s simply no cut off, till the giggle fit has run its course…
As I was deeply involved in said giggle fit, it slowly dawned on me that I’d gained knowledge and experience that I could apply to that scene I’d been working on. I went through what sensations I’d felt as the event happened and quickly made mental notes on what I was going to include in that embarrassing scene and how I was going to embellish them – this didn’t help the giggle fit I was experiencing at all. It took me most of the rest of the day to return to my normal quiet self.
The scene, will include the skirt being lost, along with a room full of people. At least one person in the room will absolutely have a giggle fit, while others will help rescue my poor main character from this humiliating situation.
Sometimes experience and research collide in a train wreck to give writers unique insights… and sometimes we just have to live through sitcom moments, creating our very own blooper reels.
