Early tomorrow I head home. It’s an eight-hour and 13 minute travel time… by train. My hubby is there to meet me. I’ll be traveling alone. And how does a writer spend so much time alone? Several ways. I’m taking enough with me to keep me busy for a couple of months. But I will have to restrict my writing and reading time so I can spend time people-watching.
Not only are there conversations to listen in on, but there are character — oops. I mean people — interrelationships to observe. Or one of my favorite pastimes: make up character tags on interesting sorts. What day job does that man have? What would be a good name for a woman who dresses like that? How many times has that kid asked that question, and why aren’t his grown-ups listening to him? What happened to that girl to make her give such a look?
What fun. I can’t wait to “meet” the dozens of new potential characters.
Author Sandy Carlson 
Enjoy your trip – it’ll be a good time to relax and de-stress a bit, too.
Can’t wait to find out if you get an inspiration for a new book from the trip.
That’s a great idea. Hope you get lots of inspiration. I need to people watch more.
Interesting how, before the trip, I so looked forward to the long time alone and chance to people-watch or think or read. But, although I forced myself to write character tags and did read some, as soon as I stepped into the departing train station and all along the track home, all I wanted to do was to make the train go faster; hurry! There is a word for it: homesickness.