O is for Observation

Something that you may not know about me, I am an introvert. Now a lot of people like to throw around the introvert/extrovert label and say that one or the other is better, but that simply not true. An introvert is someone that recharges when they are by themselves, an extrovert is someone who is recharged by being around people. There is nothing intrinsically better or worse about being an introvert or an extrovert, it’s simply how you get your energy.

Now you might be asking yourselves what does this have to do with writing? A lot actually. I get my energy from being alone, from having my own space. Does that mean that I hate people and want to be a hermit up in the mountains? No, actually the opposite is true. People fascinate me, I love to observe them, to see how they interact, what is meaningful to them. I can spend hours watching people interact, watching how they interact, how they respond differently to the same situation. Human expressions can vary so diversely, it’s fascinating.

So I challenge you, go to a public place, a mall, a park, a coffee shop. Sit there and just watch people for half an hour to an hour. It’s amazing how much life you can see in that short amount of time.