"EVERYDAY STORIES" in LIFE IN THE TIMES OF CORONA: The Real-Life Twilight Zone

There’s nothing to declare about my oh-so-boring life lately. Every day is mostly the same: get up, work, go about my day, write, watch TV or listen to music or podcast at night, sleep, and repeat. Oh, don’t forget workout and minor social interactions in between.

Then, how do I still get to write every day? Where do I get the ideas?

I’ve always loved stories. I love reading, listening, and watching them. Sometimes when an ending of a story does not satisfy me, I write my own stories. I know that they’re mostly fiction and I may have a bit of an issue with control.

If you ask me how many pieces I’ve already written, I’ve lost count of them. I’ve written some stuff for personal reasons. Others are work-related.

Some others are for promotional purposes.

Actually, finding your everyday stories is not as hard as it seems. Besides owning a passion for storytelling is a start, here are some of the other things that you can do:

1. Realise and accept the fact that ‘it’s not all about you.
   Has your life been feeling so stagnant lately? No worries, that’s perfectly normal. Accept that you’re not always interesting. That’s okay.

When that happens, maybe it’s time to shift your focus elsewhere. Start writing about other people and other things, especially those you have not considered worth writing for just yet. Pay attention to your family and friends.

Write about your pets. Write about anything you haven’t tried before. Step out of your comfort zone and see what happens.

1. Vary your reading materials.
   I grew up with a love for reading fiction and poetry. I admit that both are still fun. I have quite vivid (and rather morbid too sometimes, according to some friends) imagination.

However, things may get dull after a while. Everything starts feeling … predictable. Mundane. If I’m not careful, that can get boring too.

Long ago, I decided to start following an old friend’s advice: “Vary your reading materials.” I’m glad that I still do that. I no longer care if anyone thinks my reading choices are lame.

Besides, it’s not like I’ve ever asked them to buy me those books.

1. Listen to different types of music, podcast shows, and audiobooks.
   I listen to different songs to help me to create different moods and scenes in a story. I can’t tell you all the details, but let me give you one example: heavy metal for fight scenes or anything related to being chased by something creepy.

I know, I know. Kind of generic, eh? That’s just one example, though.

Every song has a different story. The same goes for podcast shows and audiobooks. Why so picky?

1. Watch different types of films (series, short movies, blockbusters, indies, genres, as many as possible.)
   This is actually the same thing as the second and the third tips. These days, there are a lot of tips too. From regular TV to going to the cinema and online streaming – they’re all there.

I understand that we can’t watch everything with so little time in our hands. I usually limit myself to watching one film/TV show before work and another one after work.

Perhaps there are films with plots or endings that you are not happy about. Who knows? Maybe that’ll give you ideas to write better ones – well, at least according to you.

1. Basically, practice, practice, and more practice.
   I’ve always agreed that skills are shaped and bettered through time and consistent effort. Yes, there are times you feel like you’re not getting anywhere with what you have. Sometimes you wonder if it’s even worth it. Should you just quit it?

Even when you do love writing stories, there are times when it gets boring. What for? Who’s going to read yours anyway? When are you ever going to catch your big break?

Well, keep your eyes open. Be consistent in what you do, but improvise when you (feel the) need to. You know you may not win everybody over as your audience. Everyone has their own market.

Don’t Forget This As Well:

If you’re already aware of the risk of sharing almost EVERYTHING on social media, then good for you. Because once it’s out there, then it’s out there and automatically a public consumption.

It doesn’t matter if you set your postings for ‘close friends only’. You still have to watch out. People change. Who knows? A few moments from now, you may have a beef with one of your VIPs – and they’ve already got your dirt in their grasp.

In short, everyday stories are basically the menu on social media. Free materials to choose and use for your writing ideas, but what does your conscience tell you?

R.