Some people think writing about everyday occurrences is uninteresting. But I like to believe that the everyday is what connects writers with readers, as human beings who share a common or not-so-common world.
What is it about the everyday—the small details, the routines and rituals—that resonates so deeply?
kitchen table
Photo by Kate Hiscock
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Everyone has an “everyday” perspective.
We don’t have to go on a fabulous and exotic trip. We don’t have to endure a major life change or crisis. The everyday, by definition, exists in each of our lives, and it provides endless fodder for our writing. We could describe something that happens every day or once in a while—or we could write about something that happens only once but is an extremely ordinary or common experience.
The everyday grounds readers who can identify and understand your world.
Writing about everyday things builds connections with readers. They are able to imagine what you’re describing, perhaps even place themselves into the scene, because they too have experienced that moment in some way. Relating to the story pulls them in and creates emotion, ties in memories, and enriches the imagery.