Where Do Ideas Come From? #3

In my novel, Klutzhood, there are a number of events which are based (very loosely) on my own personal experiences.  Here’s an example:

On my first day at a new school in grade three, I threw up on the way into the school.  In Klutzhood, Arlo throws up at the door of his new classroom, splattering the shoes of the principal.  Throwing up at school is just about one of the worst experiences you can have.  At least, it was for me.  I remember they used to call the janitor to come up from the boiler room in the basement.  He’d bring a bucket of sawdust and a trowel to clean up the mess.  While he cleaned up the mess, you'd be looking around for a rock to hide under.  

So you can see, even some of the more horribly awfully traumatic events in your life can become great material in writing fiction.  As a writer, no experience is wasted!