If anyone has ever taken a Pilates class, you know that it is the quietest workout you can do. The lights are dim, the music is soft and the movements are slow. It was in class that I got the following opening line:
“It was in Pilates class that Sheila realized what she had to do. She would have to kill him.”
I left class and the thought stayed with me. Who is Sheila? What is her life like? Who is she thinking of killing and why? I don’t know where this character came from. I have a novel in progress and three short stories and none of them involve a Sheila.
Soemtimes the best plot points or character flaws are revealed in the shower or during the afternoon commute. Now I can add pilates class to that mix. I go back to class tomorrow. Maybe I will find out what else Sheila has been up to.
To my writer friends, have you ever been hit with inspiration while doing a mundane tasks?