Article writing inspiration through plumbing truck captivity

Writer's notebook (public domain photo)

Help, I'm being held prisoner in a plumbing truck! My life partner is a plumber and I'm an article writer. This may seem a strange combination. Let me tell you why a plumbing truck can be an inspirational place for article ideas. My partner is on call 24/7. That means that when we're going out to eat, to a movie, or even just for a scenic drive, his phone will go off. It's a customer with a flooded house or backed up drain. He has to take that call. Therefore I am held captive in the plumbing truck until he's finished.

Plumbing tools can be inspiring

I've actually written an article about plumbing supplies. That's not the type of tools I'm referring to. Every plumber carries certain equipment on board his truck that's also conducive to writing. That equipment is a pen and a yellow legal pad. The inspiration that comes from physically putting pen to paper is incredible. Writing an article on the computer is not the same tactile experience as chicken scratching ideas on paper in a plumbing truck.

Caffeine is the other mother of invention

Sitting in a plumbing truck waiting for my partner to finish a job gets really boring. Good thing I usually bring a couple bottles of tea. The caffeine jump starts my imagination. That handy yellow pad and pen gets picked up and used furiously. Pretty soon the article ideas start to flow. They don't stop until the plumber emerges from the house covered in, well, you don't want to know. Let's just say plumbers carry wet wipes and extra clothes.

Captivity

What else is there to do in a plumbing truck while waiting for your partner to clean a drain, fix pipes, or whatever he happens to be doing? Captivity can be article inspiration in itself. Why? Well, there are no distractions. No housework to be done, because I'm not at home. Going to the restroom is not an option, though I wish it was. Hey, that was a lot of tea! Truth is, there is nothing to do but think. This makes for some interesting article writing.

Passersby can inspire articles

Well there is one thing to do in the plumbing truck, that may seem a bit nosy. People watching can contribute to article inspiration. A lot of my parenting articles have come from watching people with their kids while waiting in the plumbing truck. Or, sometimes there are people who don't know what to wear or are doing something unusual or questionable. There's always something to learn just by observing others.

Surroundings can inspire

Quite often, my partner's plumbing calls will take us to the outskirts of town. As you know, Denver's Rocky Mountains have been inspiration for many writers and artists. Sitting in a plumbing truck waiting for my partner to jet out a sewer is not very exciting. The scenery more than makes up for it at times. It doesn't have to be the inspiration of the mountains. It could be a sunset, a view of the great plains or any number of things. By the time my partner gets back to the plumbing truck, I usually have a couple pages of article ideas.

Discomfort is a mixed inspiration.

Isn't it odd that the discomfort of sitting in a plumbing truck for hours can actually be an article writing inspiration? I already mentioned my need for a restroom. There are other things that come up as well. At times it's hot, other times, it's chilly. Legs get cramped, feet are constricted, and the plumber is chatting up the customer. It's OK. Inspiration often comes from trying to keep my mind off my discomfort. An article concerning pain relief once came while cramped up in the plumbing truck waiting for my partner to finish his job.

This article was previously published by this author on Yahoo!