The Dirt on Gossip

Gossip, it's a contagious disease that quickly spreads in the work place and other social circles. It's demoralizing, resentful, hateful... while hiding in plain view. It plays off peoples inadequacies and their sense of self preservation within the circles involved. Adding to their own feeling's of self worth and pride. And we are all guilty of it.

One way to make yourself a target of gossip is to, "Tell everyone your personal life." Eventually it will land in the hands of your gossiper. That person that comes up to you at the new job and puts you on the spot in front of their friends to tell them about yourself...

One type of gossip is, (The Collector,) "Man, you ever want to watch that movie. It's on Webflix. I can set you up for a full month of free movies." "You ever need help tuning your car, let me know. I can do it all." They know everything about everything, or they can make it up. Watch this in your own circles. The one person that knows everything, is the first one to place a dagger in your back because it adds to their collection of, "I know everything - about everything. And I need something new to entertain my other friends with."

Another type of gossip, (Hitting the Fan.) A little bit of bad news and it's hitting the fan. People will take that morsel of bad news and immediately fill in the blanks. "The schedules are going to be changing next week." AND it hits the fan. Everyone fills in the blanks of who, what, when, where, and why... Then you have all these stories going for miles.

Then there is the, (Let Me Make it Better.) "What did that SOB do this time?" "Spill your guts and get it off your chest, 'cause I am here to make it all better, for me." "Tell me the dirt on your latest and greatest tragedy."

I say all this to make this point. Delve into your characters personal life and put it out there on display. Have a character that is, "The Collector." The collector is your narrator character. Give the reader a morsel of bad news and, "Let it Hit the Fan." Take the time to, "Let Me Make it Better." Feed the reader... We have all been caught up in gossip, unbeknownst or otherwise, and from a writer to reader aspect we must give them the dirt. By doing so it gives a perspective of what can be edited out, and what needs to stay or even expanded on.

This all came up because, long story short, I happened upon an ol' bookmarked web page of Guy De Maupassant's "The Terror." and I was hooked. I dare you to only read one line of it.