The writer brain is a strange, strange place. I think, usually, the term 'writer brain' is used for times when writers can't necessarily connect with what's going on around them. Stuff happens and we're all like 'huh, what?'
But there's another thing writer brains do... at least mine does... and that's to come up with endless possibilities for any given thing all the time. To see not just both sides of an issue, but every possible side to the issue. To wonder 'what if' about everything.
For me, this comes in really handy watching true crime shows and reading mysteries. I can usually figure out the whodunnit or if not the exact killer, then several possibilities of who did it.
It also leads me to a wide array of conspiracy theories. This came in pretty handy when writing Project Hermes. (On sale now... see what I did there?) I thought about microchips for animals and wondered 'what if a microchip carried more than just information?' And then 'what if there was something in there that could kill?' And then 'what if someone bad in the government got a hold of the ability to use that?' Bingo bango bongo... a book.
I also think about smaller conspiracies... like 'what if she left her car running because she was actually trying to fill my house with CO2 and kill me?' (Accidental Death) Or 'what if an elderly person's death wasn't because they were old?' (Early Grave)
My conspiracy theories also come in handy for a laugh around the house. This morning, I posited a theory to Hubs and he suggested that perhaps he needed to look into buying me a tinfoil hat. And we laughed.
I don't really need a tinfoil hat. Just because I posit a theory doesn't mean I believe it's true. I'm just putting it out there. Because it was just in here (points to head.) If it never comes to light that it's true, it's just one of my weird theories. And if it does turn out to be true, I can say 'I told you so'. If nothing else, it's good fodder for the writing.
Do you have any conspiracy theories? Or is it just me?
Too funny about the hat! I haven't delved into conspiracy, but I almost always guess the murderer when I'm reading or watching crime shows (which kind of bothers me! Takes a lot of the fun away).
ReplyDeleteI can't comment on conspiracty theories. They're out there listening to everything.
ReplyDeleteRL story: LG was a defense attorney in the army and we lived in post housing. Our phones were bugged (this is waaaay before cell phones) by CID so we developed codespeak. We still use it when other people are around. But I'm not paranoid. Not at all. 🤫
I *think* I don't go for conspiracy theories (unless I make one up; pass the tinfoil hat, please), but my mom falls for almost all of them. It makes for some ... interesting conversations.
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