Tiny Sparks
The great Agatha Christie once famously said, “I am guided by the plots of my detective novels as I wash the dishes because this stupid act involuntarily makes you think of murder.”
As I swept the crumbs of bread from the kitchen table this morning, I envisioned a snowy village somewhere in the mountains and the secrets it might hold. Then I imagined a character who somehow ends up living there for a short while, contemplating what she might encounter, who she might be, and what mysteries she would uncover. I almost saw her, that woman probably running from her past...
I don’t know why the tiny ‘stupid act’ of cleaning the table led me to plot the beginning of a story. I can't say whether this will develop into anything coherent later, but stop for a second and think about how many mundane things we do every single day; in the hustle of our hurries, we often forget to pay attention or ignore the little creative sparks that may transform into something bigger if we acknowledge them.
We often think inspiration must stem from experiences we view as more important or memorable. While that might hold some truth, a boring, repetitive action can also strangely provide us with an idea, a story, or an ending.
Before the story, the plot, the twists, and the structure; before knowing what the book is about, for me, it's the name of the character that ignites a spark. Once I have a name, I envision their physical appearance, voice, manners, mood, looks, social status, job, inner circle of friends, belongings, and lifestyle. It's the name that inspires a story and a background from which I then slowly venture further, inventing and exploring, digging deeper into that mesmerizing world that builds around those characters, their pasts, love interests, flaws, aspirations, goals, regrets, and dreams.
For me, one of the most enjoyable, intriguing, and fascinating parts of writing lies in imagining and creating a character.
It reminds me of sketching on a blank canvas when you don't have the full image in front of you yet—just several lines and a blurred silhouette. Only in the process of writing does it come to life; it's visible not just with a name, but with a biography behind it. I haven't thought much about, or ever tried to analyze, why the impulse and urge to start writing for me is so closely related to first coming up with the name.
I feel it almost on a physical level. Whatever the story is about, first there should be a name—a character, someone who might not even be the main protagonist or central figure in the story. From there, the narrative begins to form and shape; a character becomes the axis upon which it's built. Once the character has a name, it adopts a personality, and soon, I, as an author, race to capture all the dramas and unbelievable adventures my characters find themselves in. Once the character is born, the magic begins—the mysterious, inexplicable process of writing a book, creating a story out of nowhere. That character of yours, let's name her Anna, just decided she needs to be heard, and her story is worth your time writing about.
I’m going to vacuum my apartment tomorrow; I can’t wait to see what Anna is up to.