Sense Memory, Queries, and the Mob

Today I went to the eye doctor for a regular checkup. It had gotten to that point again where I was having trouble reading street signs until I was right on top of them. The fun part about the trip to the eye doctor, as you may know, is the eye dilation drops. Love those things. Of course, they sting going in (and who doesn't love the sensation of stinging eyes?) and the dilation does not go away for hours. So for the rest of the day you look like Hootie the Owl, perpetually scared, or hopped up on some wierd drug. As you drive home from the eye doctor, you pray you are not pulled over for weaving (as you cannot quite see through the blurry vision where the double line actually is) because you just know the officer will take one look at your wide, wide Hootie eyes and drag you in for a drug test.

What does any of this have to do with writing? Well, everything. First, it delayed my blogging for today as I had to rush around like the proverbial chicken without a head to get things done and get to the doctor's on time (only to "hurry up and wait" for two hours). When I came home, my friend, the lovely Tracie had emailed me asking where my post was today because she missed it. (I have a fan?!!) Third, and here's where it's really relevant, it's all sense memory.

Ah, if you are an actor, you are smiling and saying, "Oh, of course I can use that in my writing!" If you're not an actor, you may be saying, "A what-the-who?" Sense memory is an acting technique where an actor recreates something that isn't there from remembering or recalling their personal experiences. For example, watch a mime. They are all about sense memory: where's the box? Here's the box and I'm trapped in it! Look, I'm playing baseball and I'm giving you the ball and I want you to throw it to me. . . Some brilliant actors who utilize sense memory are Robin Williams (who was a mime), John Leguizamo, and even Kathy Griffin.

Remembering these seemingly ridiculous and insignificant events in our lives can become the cornerstone of major comedy skits or scenes. Just think of the classic T.V. episode of The Carol Burnett show where Tim Conway is a dentist and Harvey Korman is the patient and Conway keeps injecting himself with novocaine. Although this scene was mostly improvised, I dare anyone to watch it without laughing.

Writers should note these insignificant events in life. Want to complicate a character's life in a story? If he has to get to somewhere fast, let him find out after he's been dilated at the eye doctor's office and its a bright, sunny day. And the police are looking for someone who just robbed a pharmacy.

Utilize the events in your life that drive you loco at the doctor's office, at the DMV, mall shopping during the holidays. . . Next time you feel yourself having an emotional reaction to something, positive or negative, make a note of it.  It will strengthen one of your stories. .. 

Please check out my novel Luke Aloysius:  Bloodline on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GD9X8BE