Story Starter: Paperclips
Who knew paperclips could be so interesting?! Time was when they were just a uniform shape in a silvery metal – that could somehow knit themselves together the second you put them in a drawer. But look at this selection! I wonder if you writers picture how excited we might get when we receive a new one? Do you choose them specially? A ploy to get your story noticed, or to make us smile? As it happens, I know that the body-shaped ones were chosen especially for Tracey by one of her writers who knows of her obsession with crime scenes and forensics. I was tickled pink when I came across the penguin. And the umbrella is cute. But my favourites are the stripey ones; I always try to bag them and save them up – though I’m not sure what I’m saving them for!
A past colleague collected every shade of green she could find and we’d trade…. Another makes them into multi-coloured strings.
So, what does all this make you think of? Where do your thoughts ping off to? How oblique a tangent? It’s over to you to see if any kind of inspiration strikes.
Still preferring 2000 or 3000 words, please.