A Writer's Superpower

 by Sybil Johnson

I believe that every writer has a superpower. It might be the ability to craft clever dialog or describe a scene so well the reader feels like they are there. Awhile back, on the Chicks on the Case blog, I talked about my superpower. This originally was posted a little over a year ago on that blog. I thought it worth reposting here. Enjoy.

When Worrying Pays Off

I am a worrywart. I worry about pretty much everything.

Am I going to be late for an appointment or meeting? Did I forget an appointment or meeting? If I’m driving someplace I’ve never been before, will I get lost? Will I make a writing deadline? Did I forget to turn off the stove, iron, etc.? When I blow out the candles on my birthday cake, am I going to set my hair on fire…again? (Go ahead, laugh. I’ve done this twice. My hair was longer then.)

The list goes on.

Being such a worrier, my mind often goes to worst-case scenarios. When I was managing software projects, I wondered what I’d do if someone in my team quit, got really sick or even died. The software still had to be written, the project completed. We did a lot of cross-training so there’d be someone to pick up the slack if the worst happened. That allayed my fears enough I could push them to the back of my mind and get on with my work. Thankfully, none of these things happened to anyone on my team, but I was prepared if it did

Construction projects on the block are a particular source of worry. There have been a lot of them over the years. We’re talking nine and a half years of continuous construction. I kid you not. One project would end and another immediately begin.

It’s been quiet for a few years now but, with a new project starting soon, I’m remembering all those concerns that filled my mind. All those what ifs. What if…something crashed down on our house, our car tires were stabbed with stray nails, something fell on a car that’s parked on the street and the person in it. You get the drift.

Worrying so much is not a good thing. Or so I thought. Turns out, when you’re a writer, being a worrywart comes in handy. It’s my super power. I can take all of those worst-case scenarios that flit through my mind and create stories around them.

This applies to any story I’m working on. When I’m stuck and can’t figure out where to take the story next, I think about what’s the worst that can happen at that point. If it’s plausible enough and I can figure out a way to make it work in the story, I’ve got my next step.

With all that construction going on, my mind is full of ideas for stories. Besides the scenarios I mentioned earlier, here are a few more. What if a body is found in the Porta Potty on a construction site? What if, when they’re removing an old house, a skeleton is found? (I actually used this one as the basis for my book, Ghosts of Painting Past.) Or maybe the body is found inside a wall? What if tools and equipment are stolen from the site? What if two neighbors fight over a construction project? (I’ve got this one partially worked out as a short story. I just need to write it.)

I have a lot of fun coming up with these scenarios. Plus it makes me feel better. 

That’s how I use my worrying ways in a productive manner.

What’s your superpower?