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.
Shirley Blair Fiction Ed Shirley’s been with the “Friend” since 2007 and calls it her dream job because she gets to read fiction all day every day. Hobbies? Well, that would be reading! She also enjoys writing fiction when she has time, long walks, travel, and watching Scandi thrillers on TV.
