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Wynelda Shelton

Obsessions

Recently, it was brought to my attention that I had become a wee bit obsessed. Looking at my magazine rack, I can tell you that the person who brought this to my attention may have been right.

The magazine rack is filled to the brim with one kind of magazine. Not only is it full, more of the magazines are stacked on top of it, some are scattered through out the apartment as well. There's one on the coffee table. There are three next to my bed.

My obsession is wedding planning. As of the moment that I am writing this, I have twelve weeks to get this thing planned, paid for and organized. I have lists of hints from friends. A zippered binder has become my wedding bible: it contains calendars, receipts for my dress, pictures of my bridesmaids dresses, swatches, guest lists, to-do lists, food lists, readings for the wedding.

I know you're wondering what the heck this has to do with writing.

Last night, I was sitting on my bed looking through Modern Bride, Conde Nast Bride's and Martha Stewart's wedding magazine. I realized that the money I spent on my obsession could be put to another use as well. Market Research. In thirteen weeks, I'll be able to say that I have experience in putting together a wedding on a shoestring.

What kinds of magazines fill your racks? Do you have an obsession? If you're an avid gardener, you could do many kinds of articles ranging from how-to grow roses in extreme heat to how your first garden helped you bloom as well as the flowers. Are you a Civil War buff? You could write about battles that pique your interest. Or maybe how your shared interest brought you closer together with someone you loved.

It doesn't have to stop with non-fiction, either. My obsession has bled into other aspects of my writing, specifically my fiction, as well. Romance, which has never caught my writing fancy (although I read it), now has. That research you've put into a battle can become a short story or a scene in a novel. The garden that you work in can become the back drop for a pivotal scene in your story, allowing it to forever be blooming.

The only cap on what you can do is your own creativity.

Need proof?

I just used planning my wedding as the basis for a writing article.