Writers, Don’t Be Like The Lady at the Gas Station

Avoid These 3 Bad Conversation Practices In Your Writing

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Maybe you’re a bit like me.

And are someone who naturally likes to talk a lot.

If so, then you know how fun it is to feel the story you’re telling come to life. To see the other person’s face light up with laughter or sadness at your words.

Your love of speaking may also play a part in your love of writing.

But, if you’re a good communicator then you also love the other side of talking. Listening.

And this lady at the gas station the other day had no concept that a conversation goes both ways.

What Writers Can Learn From Bad Conversation

I went into the gas station for a Redbull, which is not something I normally do as I’m trying to be healthy lately but I was feeling a bit run down and needed a serious pick-me-up.

As such, I wasn’t in the best mood for a long conversation.

But, the lady at the counter was.

I asked the normal American greeting — ‘How are you?’. I did mean it as I truly want to know people are, but I wasn’t expecting a long answer.

Yet, that is what I got.

I had started a spark that lit her speaking fuse. Somehow we came upon the story of her dog sleeping with her in the night. How she ended up looking for him and finding him in a funny position. I also learned that she had a husband, whom she didn’t even know he came into her bed.

And more.

All within a minute.

And she continued.

Eventually, a customer came up behind me to pay for his gas and I theater-sidestepped to let him through, still nodding my head to the cashier.

I told her thanks and wished her well and trudged (I still hadn’t had my liquid-energizment yet, after all), and walked to the car to guzzle. And as I drank the horrible-for-you, delectable liquid gold, I thought about the lady at the gas station.

The conversation had me thinking.