What’s Your Line?

Today’s Write on Wednesday theme is “What’s Your Line?” How do you find your material? How do you express it? Have you found it yet, or aren’t sure you have one?

This was an interesting topic for me, because I haven’t really done a lot of "concentrated writing" or personal writing (like fiction, for example). Most of it is work-related.

But the writing does dance in my head – I have several mysteries going, but since character is my strength and plot is not, I’m challenged in the intricacies of the form! (Maybe I need a collaborator!)

What actually makes it to the page tends to be related to daily life: my family, friends, observations.

My slowly progressing project is a cookbook with the stories from my world that accompany it...

...warm times spent at the holidays and the recipes that were part of the traditions; lively parties and the good food that comes with it; stories of playing till we dropped at the lake and then the delicious summer-food we enjoyed.

Christmas parties...

And birthday celebrations from times gone by!

The recipes are part of it, of course. But the real writing comes in sharing the stories of my mother and her sisters spending summers at the lake...

... celebrations I’ve enjoyed with Rick’s kids over the years...

...as well as those indescribably wonderful times with my amazing friends.

In Becca’s post, she speaks about being an only child and how she focuses on relationships and family in her work. That resonates with me, as I am an only child, as was my dad. My cousins are my spiritual siblings and we spent many hours together as children. But basically, it was our wee group of three.

Now I’m an adult orphan and as I look back at the things I think about and write about, much of it reflects past relationships, for I realize there are very few people who even knew my parents and I don’t want their memories to leave when I do.

In a small family, one often finds that friends become extended family – the family you choose for yourself. So, I want to remember those stories, too.


Even the poetry I write each year for the Valentine’s Day book I make for Rick – always a selection recapping our year – summarizes experiences, people and family. Things I know and love.


And when I write a travel related piece, it's a place I've been.

I realize, not surprisingly, that working the blog is fertile ground for sharing these types of things as well, and an excellent exercise in getting me back to writing on a regular basis.

So, when I go to the symphony, I will continue to make up mysteries about the timpani player who is married to the string bass player (they aren’t, really – I doubt!) and the murder of one of their colleagues! Or a major donor. Or the houseguest of the conductor. I know their lives and characters intimately, but can’t nail the plot!

When I take trips to the lake alone, or long walks up there, I’ll continue the small town mysteries set on a lake not unlike the one I visit, in a restored hotel (much like the one that used to be here in the 30s and is now a McMansion) with its widowed artist proprietor!

Those will probably never see paper, but they’re fun to think about and muddle!

So, what’s YOUR line? Do you have one or discovered it yet? And how do you express it? Don’t don’t forget to check out Becca’s wonderful post on this topic. If you write about “your line” on your blog, please leave a link on this post and on her blog as well, so other writers can enjoy!)