It's almost the one-year anniversary of starting my current job. I remember commiserating last year with what Neal was going through in White Collar's first season, as he adjusted to the oddities of working for a government agency. Now I'm reflecting on what this job has meant to my writing, and what Neal's job meant to his side gigs.
My expectations were mixed. The new job doubled my commute time, which meant less time for writing. On the other hand, because it was a bus commute, that meant I could use the time for reading and editing. Because it's a full-time job and not a contract, I don't have to worry every six months that I won't be renewed. Often the renewal was a last-minute decision and that meant putting time and energy into starting a job hunt, just in case. The job also comes with much better benefits than contracting did, which eases worries, too. That means more time and energy for my novel, Prime Conditions. Right?
The commute expectations were the most correct, probably because it's a commute I've done before. I knew what I was getting into. It was also correct that the stable job and benefits freed up more mental energy. However, that energy didn't all go into writing, at least not directly. The job itself is interesting and involves some overtime. In addition, I've been taking online classes -- most of which support my writing -- but that does mean less time putting words on the page. On the other hand, the classes and other activities led to big breakthroughs in terms of my novel's plot and characters. Some of those took time to internalize before I could move forward with them; now that I've gotten comfortable with the new directions, they feel natural and the words are flowing in the rewrites.
There have been unexpected ways that the job has helped with writing. One is an emphasis on continual learning. In additional to formal classes, I've also met people whose ideas and experiences inspire me, and my projects introduced new concepts as well. Stretching my mind at work aids in stretching my mind for story plots. The training I took on equity and social justice inspired ideas for making my stories more representative of people who differ from me.
How does this compare to Neal's experience? He took the job on Peter's team because it positioned him to work on a side project -- finding and rescuing Kate. That was something Peter specifically did not want Neal to work on. Peter's goal was probably simple: keep Neal busy, and keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't get into trouble. What actually happened was that Neal gained access to people and information to help in his quest, while at the same time learning to see things from another point of view. The more he became an insider -- and a friend -- on Peter's team, the more Neal saw other ways of accomplishing his goals. Peter kept making the point that Neal could get what he needs working within the parameters of the law, instead of working around it.
Those were aspects of the show that inspired me in the Caffrey Conversation series. Being an insider, being accepted, being a friend -- these all influence Neal a great deal. By introducing those influences earlier in his life in this AU, we see how different things could be for Neal and for those around him.
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