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THE NARRATIVE ARC
How a Day of Air Travel Became a Fountain of Creative Inspiration
Thinking like a writer can make life that much more interesting
As a full-time writer, the most common question I get from everyday people is, “Where do you get ideas from?”
The truth is, ideas come from everywhere and nowhere all at once. Yet the very best stories and characters — are typically all around us, waiting to be noticed.
For context, I typically take tons of notes on my phone as I go about my day. Inspiration rains down upon you once you know how to spot it.
To highlight this, I intentionally documented six hours of travel, which began with a cab-ride to the airport. My hope is that this not only shows you the process, but how interesting people and life can actually be.
10:05 AM
During our Uber ride, Laura and I found ourselves explaining domestic partnerships to our driver.
She was in her early 20s, full of idealized thoughts about marriage. She was likely picturing what she wanted for her future and wedding.
My partner Laura laughed and said, “When I first explained domestic partnerships to my mom, she thought I was trying to tell her I was…
