More Stories Found In Texas

Yesterday, we spent a few hours and a lot of dollars at a huge outlet mall located on I-35 near San Marcos, Texas. The place is so big that it's necessary to drive from one area to another. Ken and I both were lucky to find a lot of things we liked at bargain prices. So, how could we pass them up?

At most of the shops, the clerk asked for our zip code, then would ask us where that was.
"Kansas" we'd tell them which inevitably led to further conversation about a time they'd been to Kansas, knew someone there, or would tell us where they lived before they'd come to Texas. It seems that an awful lot of folks here are from somewhere else, but they all said they love living in Texas.

Each one of those clerks is a story waiting to be written. Each one could be used as a model for a character in one of your stories. Your job is be observant, to listen carefully and file the information away for possible use later on. If one of them particularly impresses you, write a few notes, or a paragraph to keep the memory fresh when you get back to your car.

Even on vacation, my writer's mind keeps on working. Yours can, too. It  may not take a vacation. Look at all the people you encounter at the grocery store, the doctor's office or the auto place where you get your oil changed. Wherever there are people, there are stories.