If you are like me I would much prefer to spend my days, surrounded by books, researching and writing, which was what I loved most about University. But alas, researching and writing fiction will not yet keep my books protected from the elements nor me housed, clothed and fed. So, as much as I lament my limited time to write, let alone finding the spare moments to spend time researching, I must admit, if I have to have a day job, I work in a pretty interesting place, and it provides much fodder for my fiction.
In my job, I interact with people from all walks of life, economic status, and ages. People who are most commonly at a difficult place in their lives either through their own choices, or as a direct result of someone else’s choice. Not only do I have a wealth of interesting, and sometime downright comical, name variations to draw on for my characters, but I also have interesting scenarios that frankly, you could never make up. Ever. Of course, I must change those scenarios enough so as not to be too close to real life, still, I am telling you, for contemporary fiction, my job is a gold mine.
Can you guess what environment I might work in?
Needless to say, when my days are taxing and I wish I was home writing, I just remind myself that I have access to so much that will enrich my writing, and to be grateful for it. There may come a day (I really hope and work towards that day) that I can research and write full time, but until then, here I am, gathering information to make my characters more human and real.