The Fifteen Minute Novel is an attempt to take a single prompt and use the last sentence written each day as a start for the next day. This year I had several prompts circling around a similar story, so I have combined them. However, the story starts the same way each day, with the last line from the day before and a timer set for fifteen minutes. The hope is to end up with a complete, if very rough draft by the end of the year. Some stories are better than others, but I always learn a whole lot about my own writing when I do this so for me it is not only a nice way to work out a story, but it is a tool for helping my writing get better. And so, we continue this story for 2024 with…
Day 218: She looked at the sketchpad.
She looked at the sketchpad. Sophie knew that when she was working on creating a design for a garment from an idea she tended to lose track of time. She also resented being pulled from the design. Often times she had grown grumpy with her stomach for demanding dinner or her eyes for demanding sleep.
“But smaller task like the embroidery should be fine.”
While Sophie enjoyed designing and then doing the detail work, she didn’t fall into those projects the way she did garment creation. “And since they have to be done, doing them a little each morning before work isn’t going to be a problem.”
Feeling pleased and wanting to remain productive, Sophie decided to spend the day getting ahead on some of her commissioned pieces. She figured that with a little effort she could knock out several of the sleep sets for the month before she had to be back in the office. A part of her felt as though she was going back on her promise to look into doing more than work with her time by diving straight into creating the sleep sets, but ass she just came back from a vacation, she didn’t think it counted ass sliding too much back into her old ways.
“Besides,” she told herself as she moved to the sewing room. “I have that gallery visit planned for later this month.”
As she started her work Sophie smiled, pleased that she scheduled some time off. The rest of her vacation slipped by. It was only a few days but she found herself settling into her new schedule. She enjoyed working out with Kevin in the morning and she took time out to go see a movie with Janine.
Her first Workday post vacation rolled around and after her workout she showered and put her new plan into action. She worked on embroidery designs until the timer went off and then dressed and drove to the office.
Despite working extra to get things done before she left, Sophie found the work piled up while she was gone. It was expected so she wasn’t too troubled. There was a brief welcome back meeting with Elizabeth. While the work had piled up, there were no emergencies. Elizabeth had a section of files she wanted dealt with first as they were more immediate but other than that it was business as usual.
Refusing to give up any time after hours, Sophie worked through lunch that first week. By the time she reached her Friday afternoon meeting with Elizabeth, Sophie felt she was in a good place. She took the elevator up to her supervisor’s floor and after saying hello to the receptionist was sent back.
“So are you regretting coming back yet?” Elizabeth asked as Sophie took her seat.
Sophie smiled. “Well I do have to admit living in a hotel and spending my days shopping and visiting museums and galleries is a bit more appealing than paperwork,” she said. “But it hasn’t been too bad.”
“And all things must come to an end,” Elizabeth said. “So you actually took a vacation this time?” she asked.
“I did,” Sophie said. “I went to Milan. Had a great time and plan to go back.”
Elizabeth smiled.
Ten til Midnight 