What's the difference between an ordinary mundane person and a
writer? It's not immediately obvious. At first you might think there's little
to choose between one and the other. It's true, a writer can often be found
with a book in their hand, just like an ordinary person might. Indeed, a writer
might also be reading the same book – writers read too, sometimes. But a writer
might not be reading in the same way as the casual reader. A writer might be
following the story in the same way but they could also be studying it; looking
for examples within the narrative that impressed them or maybe making a mental
note of the structure of the story. They might also be playing ride-along with
the author; analysing the flow of each sentence and testing each word for suitability,
for example. They could be wondering about the characters or considering the
reasons why the writer chose the points of view they did, or debating as to why
they developed them in that way and thinking how they might have written it if
they'd been the one sitting behind the keyboard. There're a bewildering number
of decisions to be made in each line and a writer never rests, not even when
you think they're relaxing.
Of course, there are other aspects that aren't immediately obvious
to a layman observer. A writer's never off duty. Not ever. Even when they've
put the book you thought they were reading down they might still be at work.
Because a writer is also the ultimate voyeur. They’ll watch people and they’ll
listen and they’ll always take notes, storing their impressions for use in the
future. Sometimes they'll wait and they'll mentally store the information but
they'll always be paying attention to you. You could be innocently waiting for
a bus, for example, and the writer could be taking you in; noting the clothes
you're wearing, the scent you've put on, or the way that you spoke to that
woman with the child. Everything that you do and their assessment of your
reasoning behind it. They could transform you in a flash; you could so easily
become an Edith or a Sue, or an athlete or a shop girl. You could even become
an alien invader, preparing a campaign for an invasion from space. The journey
you could be making could be taking you to China. Or to Kansas. Or to
Scunthorpe. Or Proxima Centuri. You could be deciding to go home or just
thinking of going for a coffee. Or you could be waiting for a stranger who
might abduct you.
But a writer can do so very much more. They can strip you of your
clothes or they can strip you apart; exchanging your fashion, your face or your
mind. You could become be a role model for a character they're creating or
feature as just a part of one, if there was only one point about you they
noticed. Personally, I've written about the mouth of a woman I’ve seen; noting
the shade of her lipstick and the shape of her lips. I've been inspired by the
smallest and subtlest of details; transplanting each component and then
directing the composite, my Frankenstein's Monster, willing it to do whatever I
wished. Each word that you speak could be secreted away; the cadences or the
tone of voice that you used, the colloquial terms, and the concepts and the
content of the whole conversation. Even the gestures you made, the way that you
walked, and the fit and the choices of the clothes you wore. Everything about
you could be taken and used and could feature in the next novel that the writer
might produce.
So, don’t be surprised if you notice someone watching you. We’re
usually benign and will rarely confront you. In fact, for the most part, we’ll
probably shy away and will redirect our attention to somebody else.
