Saturday, July 14, 2012

Dreams of Inspiration?

Well, FB is one of those things that Writer's Digest keeps saying every writer should have, so dutiful me, I have one.
 (You all knew this, I'm sure.)

 Anyway, like every writer out there says, it is a huge time warp, as in, "Where did that time go? I was only on here a second!"

 A lot of times I find it rather boring, as people I don't know talk to people I barely, kinda know, and post pictures for people I've never met. (Though interesting, in a mild way.)

 Other times, they post LOL Cats, which leave me laughing insanely over the keyboard, and get me strange looks from those around me.

 And other times, writerly minds connect to form sparkly links that fizz with electricity over the fragile strands of the interwebs, and new and super-fun discussions take place. Even if they're just a rapid fire few moments in the comments.

I love it when this happens. 
 Absolutely LOVE IT!

 Hannah S. recently reported having a weird dream, complete with protagonist, concerning mannikins that weren't as static as they usually seem; and I thought, "Wow! I love it when that happens to me!"
 (I also think she should slap that plot line down  pronto before it slips away!)

 This got me thinking about dreams; their nearness to (and differences from) our daydreams, and where we go when we read a good book that carries us away.

 So I commented to Hannah:
 "I think a lot of folks have indeed used dreams as their inspiration. You could get at least a short story out of this one! I once had a really vivid, heart pounding sci-fi dream, I woke up, thought "Wow! That was vividly heart-pounding, and all made sense!" ...realized it was sabbath and I didn't have to work... got on the computer and didn't get off 'til it was dark.
 [I don't know how late it was... but I was so, so wanting to leave that keyboard!]

  I wrote thirteen thousand words that day, because I knew if I stopped I'd forget some of the details. And the next day was a busy work day again, so I had one shot and one shot only.
 I really, really wanted to quit several times, but I didn't let myself do it!"

 This is, I think,  my over all record word-count-per-day.
   Scratch that.
     I know it is!

 I have to work writing in at odd angles into my life, and when inspiration strikes I can do desperate things. Lots of times, I have to try to hold on to the images for hours on end until I am free to snag a computer.  Which has mixed results.
 And I usually don't hold myself hostage for a full day's stretch. It sort of results in a insulted creative brain.
 (I couldn't even look at a printed page for days afterward, as my mind recovered... with many surly snarls.)

 But I got that plot line.

 And later; I revised, edited, smoothed.
 And someday I will do something with it.
 (It kind of feels like the opening to an action packed, sci-fi novel... which knowing me, you probably could have guessed. I have difficulty writing short.)

 What about you?

     Do you use dreams? Or do you know of authors who did?

 Tell us! I know there must be more to be said!