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May 27, 2004 Want to write a book? How about a book of poetry? Or maybe you want to write a story for posterity about some humorous event in your life, but don’t know how to spice it up so that it will remain in their memories. Well, do you want to write? Here’s how: Dream. A great man once implied that creative tendencies aren’t in the phrase, ‘That can never be.’ Instead, we should look for the people that say, “Why not?” Sometimes when we’re not focusing on any one thing, and instead are reflecting on moments of past mistake, humor, or even accident, we can actually begin to think and feel a need to adapt that past mistake, or at least the situation, into characters and a setting that provides for entertainment and thought. When we receive those little pockets of inspiration, it is time to start dreaming. About a year ago, I really started to struggle with an internal demon that tries to convince me sometimes that nobody else struggles with it. I’ve tossed and turned at night on how to successfully dispel the worries and hardships brought on that problem, and unfortunately, haven’t had much luck. Well, one night, when it was a particularly difficult night of remorse, I suddenly found myself thinking of situations that people I had never known were in that were similar to the inner turmoil I was facing; only they weren’t facing anything inward at all. They were creatures and people and personalities in people that were out to destroy them, or help them, on a road to an ultimately good ending. Little did I know that those people would turn out to be the characters in my novel. Those little pockets of experiences are what matter when we want to be creative. If we want to write about shooting a gun, we go shoot a gun, and then we dream. If we want to write about what that first date was like, we actually ask a girl or boy out, much to our disappointment and embarrassment, and then we dream. Usually, though, if it was a boy asking, that particular story ends up being the first date after many refusals. And what about poetry? I have learned through many English classes and discussions that there are two sides to the creative end of poetry. Many think that strict rules and regulations must be followed on the structure of poetry, and overall it should make sense and should be orderly. I disagree. I personally believe that the literary prompts and standards that we can and do employ as writers and feelers and expressers are key, but only as tools. I once had a discussion with a man that wrote poetry line by line, but upside down. There are poets in the world that actually make you think when they write, because they don’t form sentences. Random letters and symbols at strange parts of a page incite thought and feeling in a way one never would have guessed they would. The key to poetry is dreaming as well, and a steady hand at putting thought to paper. Write about anything, especially intense or just mediocre things. Just write, write, write, and don’t forget to put yourself in someone else’s shoes while doing it. Does dreaming have anything to do with poetry? Of course, go read The Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll. He actually invented words to describe a creature nobody but him could have thought of. And stories for posterity? If you want to write a journal, I would suggest complete honesty in things pertaining to future generation, but if you just want to write a story or group of stories about your life for grandkids, I still highly suggest dreaming. A recent box office release entitled ‘Big Fish’, directed by Tim Burton, is a story about a father that has a story for every single important part of his life. For example, to illustrate the love he had for his wife, he told of the time that, when proposing, he had her favorite flowers planted on her college campus so thickly that, instead of green lawn outside her dorms, it was a field of daffodils. Be careful, however, on how to be creative with family stories. Hiding truth and embarrassment behind fanciful concoctions may not be the best way to get a personal experience across. Instead, take those embarrassments and either leave them out, or make them funny. But still dream. So there you have it. Writing can be simple, as long as we dream. If you’re walking down the street, and all of a sudden daydream that some villain or another suddenly slams into the road you’re walking along and starts to wreak havoc on your town, go write about it. But, for the sake of the light side, try to include a hero. ------------ About the author Anthony Gardner: Visit http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=A_D_Gardner or email: adgwriter@hotmail.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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