Creative Writing
← See All TopicsPublic Transportation
Public transportation—trains, buses, ferries, planes, etc.—momentarily brings people together, until they disperse again upon reaching their destinations. Many things can happen during these short moments inside a shared, liminal, and moving space. We remain static, though the vehicles themselves are, by definition, mobile. Connections, however subtle, are being constantly formed and broken down. There is a sense of shared fate amongst all that are in transit together. There are rules to public transportation; some of which are imposed upon its passengers by authorities while others are followed only by those who wish to do so, for social or moral reasons. Most of the time, public transportation serves as a connection between a starting point and an end; rarely do we view it as a destination itself, yet there are countless stories that happen every day on public transportation that make the journey itself worth examining.
Writing Prompt 1
Choose two locations in your city and map out a route linking them using only public transportation. Write a story about a character who follows this route and, by the end of it, has undergone some sort of change (emotional, psychological, and/or physical). What state was the character in at the beginning of the journey? Who and what did they encounter along the way and how did they react to these experiences?
Writing Prompt 2
While taking a train or bus, for the length of your journey, observe one seat/space and write down descriptions of every passenger who occupies it. Focus not only on external traits and habits, but also how their behaviours and appearances may reflect their internalities. It is not necessary to be accurate; use this as an opportunity to imagine lives for those you meet briefly during transit. Think about how they all share the same space at separate times; does that seat connect them to each other somehow?