Writers are just… different.
I once saw a definition of a writer as “someone for whom the act of writing is harder than it is for other people.”
It’s true.
I’m a nurse, and part of my job involves documenting incidents. I usually go through three or four drafts before I actually make an official note in a chart.
We also see things differently.
Last night at work I got punched in the face by an agitated and aggressive resident. He knocked my glasses off (and a lens popped out so I had to go get them fixed this morning). My face is still sore on that side today, so I’m going to need to write a longer incident report than the brief notes I was writing last night. I’m going to type it up here at home so I can edit it as I go and print it out to take to work with me to turn in. (Also, it will be easier for the powers that be to read – I freely admit that I have atrocious handwriting.)
But the thing is, I’m taking note of how it feels. I don’t know if I’ll ever need to describe it in a novel, but I’m storing the sensations away for future reference, just in case.
And that’s one of the reasons why they say that writers should keep a journal, to store away things like this so they don’t get forgotten.
I’m horrible at keeping a journal, though. Most of my life is pretty dull and not worth writing about, and when it isn’t, well… then I don’t have time to write about it.
I do take note of physical reactions associated with strong feelings, though, so I probably should start writing them down.
And, oddly, I take note of the fact that normal people probably don’t do that. (It doesn’t help that I’m an Aquarian, and an INTJ, so emotions don’t “fit” well with me.
Maybe that’s why I have trouble writing romance…
Novel Notes 