Prompt Images
As writers, it’s the little details that make our characters relatable, settings imaginable, dialog irresistible. Little details breathe life into our stories, real or imagined. This week, we asked our staff, What little details do you hope people notice about you?
Jillian Conochan
Yes, I have a small gold diamond encrusted on my incisor. And you’re right, my hair is tinted pink; thanks for noticing. More than likely, I did deliberately coordinate my shoes to offset my t-shirt, which probably says something stupid but funny to me. You have an eye for details! But did you notice me making room so everyone felt included in the conversation? Maybe not, but of all the things about me, that’s the one I hope people take away from being around me.
Sarah Razner
So maybe you notice I get excited about a lot of things. Maybe a bit intense. I can talk on and on about most anything from surprising character arcs to campaign finance reform to 50-year old true crime stories. Some might say that’s a sign of an obsessive, fixating personality, and they wouldn’t be wrong. But I choose to see it as unbridled curiosity, genuinely motivated by wonder and care. So, if you notice anything, please notice my passion, wide in breadth and deep in heart.
Kelaine Conochan
Maybe I don’t really want you to notice the little things about me because those are the places and ways that make me feel a little bit inadequate. Weird shapes and lines and idiosyncrasies that take away from the ideal, the impossible version of myself rather than adding to it. I know it’s not helpful to obsess over these things, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
But there’s something NOT there that I would love for you to notice. I never got my ears pierced. There they stand, naked and true, unaltered and unadulterated. As a kid, I didn’t have a term for “gender expression,” but I knew I wasn’t THAT kind of girl. I wasn’t scared of the pain… my skinned knees and full contact bruises would attest to that. It’s that I didn’t want anything that would make me look or feel more “girly,” which is another way of saying “less like myself.” I wasn’t a Claire’s Boutique kid; I was a Spencer’s Gifts kid. And today, I look back at a decision I made—not one time but reinforced over time—and think how it continues to fit me, to suit me. Maybe you never noticed that little detail, but it’s so much bigger than it seems.
Natalie Brandt
I have spent my entire life hoping to not be noticed. I would like to gold medal in wallflowering. I want to slip into your fancy cocktail party and sip your champagne in peace from that corner by the exit. But I’m tall. Not weird tall. Just tall enough that it’s hard not to notice me. I’ve slouched for decades in service to going unnoticed. I’ve been criticized for being aloof or stuck up. I am neither — I am shy. I simply do not want to be noticed, although I desperately want to be seen. And heard. In fact, if you grab a glass of champagne and meet me in the corner, I bet we have a lot to talk about.
Josh Bard
If you play on a team with me, I know the big details, the full scouting report is that I take things too seriously and can fly off the handle quickly. To me, anyone who would ref a game is someone who needs to find more hobbies or friends or self-awareness. But behind all that pomp and circumstance, I hope people are also spending as much time noticing that I care deeply about supporting my teammates. And if I am quick to roll my eyes at something that goes wrong, I am even quicker to acknowledge someone who did something right, and something awesome for the team. It’s not as showy or memorable as a showdown with a ref or opposing player, but it’s a detail that should matter most.
Mr. Joe Walker
People tend to notice my height, wanting to call me short. I prefer to be referenced as midsized. At 5’ 7 1/2” I’m the same height as WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio. We’re also the same weight; scaling at a slim, trim 175lbs.
However, my optimism, encouraging and fun-loving nature, and outgoing kindness is triple my height and weight. I preferably hope it’s noticed that I’m big with goodness – which does happen until my observer gets a glimpse of my large feet. Dang it, stop looking at me!
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