I’m hardly a “seasoned” writer, although I’ve got about 70 or so published credits to my name. But last night is the first time I really felt that I was thinking like a writer. Here’s what happened:
I was attending a charity dinner for a group I support, but really I would have preferred just being at home getting some work done. After all of the compulsory speeches, an entertainer took stage - a “mentalist” looking for audience participation. Fortunately, my wife and I were seated about as far away from the stage as possible, so I could sit back and enjoy the show without the “PLEASE don’t pick me” butterflies.
And I did enjoy the show. I wasn’t thinking about what trouble my kids were getting into at home, or the bills that were still unopened, or my article deadlines quickly looming. I enjoyed the various tricks and illusions the performer displayed.
On the way home, a funny thing happened. I kept thinking – there’s got to be an interesting story here, although it wasn’t quite clicking in my head. By the time I reached home, however, I had found a slant that I think will work, and really should work several times over.
The plan now: submit queries to multiple non-competing markets, each slanted appropriately and uniquely enough not to improperly overlap. If and when the articles sell, they are evergreen enough to be ripe for the reprint market later. There’s no reason five or more sales can’t come from this idea.
Will it work? I don’t know. If I don’t make a single sale, I still see this as a major breakthrough in my writing career. If I’m unsuccessful with this story, it’ll be because I need to polish my queries more, to study my markets better. But not because I failed to think like a writer. In the past I would have enjoyed the dinner and show, then forgotten about it. This time, the wheels were turning; I was thinking How can I use this? Simple, yes. Many of you, I’m sure, do this in your sleep. But for me, the light just went on.
Gotta go. I’m a writer.
Tags: freelance writer, writer
