Writers, take a walk at night.

I’m four week away from travelling again. At least I was when this blog was written.

I’ve felt hesitant because of the state of the world at the moment, even though I’ve travelled extensively.  But a friend helped, unknowingly.

He wanted to show us his neighbourhood at night. It’s been a long time since I’ve taken a night time walk. While out, he showed us a new feature on his phone. Night vision.

I was impressed. But I was also sad. Does this mean people would walk at night seeing the world through their phone?

Then he taught me something.

If you concentrate on some point far in the distance and count to ten, you will suddenly see everything around that point clearly. Apparently it’s a military trick.

I did it a few times and I could see better than the night vision app on our friend’s phone. I felt safe.

I have to add a scene about this experience to my work in progress.

I’m not sure which one though. The one that’s only at first draft stage is set in the nineties. Back in that decade, my partner, a friend and I left a party and enjoyed a night walk that took us to a cemetery with an ocean view. It wasn’t spooky. It would be a charming experience to replicate in that story.

Another work in progress that’s been left behind due to other commitments is the sequel to Social Media Central. The night vision aspect would be good for this story. Sadly, the whimsy of the actual experience would be missing as the genre is dystopian. But, then again?

Real life conversation and experiences fill my novels.

Many of my friends recognise moments in my works. But this walk did more than simply give me something to write about.

I needed a real moment to reflect on. A lot has been happening in my life in a short amount of time. Some bad. Some good.

And a walk around the neighbourhood at night gave me a fresh perspective.