Monday, March 14, 2016

So We Have Another Time Change by Linda S. Glaz



And here we are. Sleepy, grouchy, and waiting breathlessly for a full pot of coffee. Daylight Savings has done it again. Our bodies scream what?!?, our minds are fogged for at least a week, our systems simply won’t do what we ask of them. 

Help!

I’m always looking for real things to add to my characters that will make them jump off the page. When I watch an action flick and see a guy who has been hospitalized while they stalk him, and then suddenly, he jumps up, pulls the IV from his arm, and is on the run once again, I groan. Reality? I think not.

So how do we make the character real while keeping tension flowing along with his red cells? And do it without cheating…

Take the opportunity to place your character in a situation that changes his body functions against his will. He might work out in a gym, eat healthy, and sleep exactly 8.2 hours a night. What can you do to throw off his normally healthy body?

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME.

Now you have the nut that won’t fit the bolt. He can no longer function correctly despite his wholesome lifestyle. And you can use that to ramp up tension like nothing else.

Suddenly she looks for the opportunity to take a ten-minute power nap, she slogged through her morning while the bad guy gets a two-hour head start, she can’t make logical decisions on the fly.
You’ve given her a wonderful reason to lose the fight!

Are you constantly searching for unique ways to stop your character from winning?
Try the everyday, overlooked, wonderful choices at hand. Look to life.

Daylight Savings Time, anyone’s nemesis!

11 comments:

Janet Grunst said...

I love Daylight Savings Time. I even start counting the days every fall when we revert to Standard Time. The promise of longer days and the advent of spring and summer delight me.

anne said...

My alarm clock is a 4 year old boy, who is sleeping in later now that the sun doesn't rise at 6 am. So I'm loving Daylight Savings time! :)

I'm currently experimenting with the "hangry=hungry & angry" emotion with my characters.

Linda Glaz said...

That's awesome. You two are honestly the first two folks I have EVER talked to who liked it! Nice that it works that way! I can tell, for most of us, it leaves us walking around like ZOMBIES for a few days or even weeks! Way to go!

journeystojoy.net said...

With my Central Nervous System disease - changes in weather and time seem to hit me especially hard - not sure what the issues are there - our dog goes nuts because it throws his meal schedule off and our bird gets bent out of shape because her daylight hours are not the same - for me - I wish they'd choose a time and leave it alone all year long.
BUT
since they've not done that for my benefit - I will deal with the cranky dog, confused bird, and my body (long enough to get adjusted - so we can readjust in a few months)

Linda Glaz said...

haha, I'm with you, Joy. I wish they'd pick on and stick with it!

Terry Burns said...

Do you know where daylight savings time started? In Germany during WWII - we may have defeated the Nazis and killed off Hitler but he's still sticking it to us - posthumeously

Linda Glaz said...

hahahahaha

Tom Threadgill said...

Daylight savings time? Make it stop. Please.

Linda Glaz said...

YES! I'm one of those who gets all discombobbled with it. Fall is the worst, but spring doesn't help either.

Diana Flegal said...

Linda, you had me laughing out loud, for real. :-) Yes, and then you have an even more relatable character.

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