Inspiration, where does it come from? I’ve heard people say, you should be able to find inspiration in a grain of sand. Well, I don’t know about that. My inspiration to write came from my dreams. One could ask, where do dreams come from? Are they manifestations of waking desires or fears? I don’t know. What I can tell you is I wrote this book out of a great need to satisfy the characters. I can’t speak for anyone else, but having dreams on almost a nightly basis revolving around the same characters where I observed their lives was a new experience for me. My only course of action was to start writing, or seek professional help...:-D
Writing Yesterday’s Daughter has been a marvelous and scary ride. This novel has led me to learn a lot about myself. I am a creative person. Before writing this book, I viewed authors with some deference. The process just seemed so mysterious to me, the idea that someone could have incredible stories and characters in their heads. They’d have to be extra special people right? I firmly placed authors in the creative bucket with artists, designers, and such. And I definitely didn’t considers myself part of that group.
Perhaps this creativity was always a part of me and I had ignored it. Whatever the cause for my being a late bloomer, I recognize it now. Not only do I recognize my creative side, I’ve embraced it and learned to enjoy the journey of telling the story, to putting pen to paper, to giving birth to characters and worlds uniquely my own.
The writer in me has changed me. I see and listen to the world differently. I’ve noticed that sometimes, and it seems to happen without warning, that I will see or hear something that will spark my creative interest. Whether it’s an interesting name, pictures of an exotic location, a look between two people; it can be anything that triggers ideas for writing. For some, this may all be indubitable, but not for me. I’ll be very interested to look back in ten years and see what this new creativity has spawned.
See what is coming next and hear more from Sallie here:
Emma, thanks a million for hosting Sallie at The Writer's Voice. It's always good to see a writer embracing her creativity.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting me, Emma. I wish you continued success with The Writers Voice.
ReplyDeleteI have unusual dreams as well that I've incorporated into my books. Although, they do not recur nightly, usually from one dream, and I have to write from it. I used something as simple as an experience my mom had while going to college and am writing a book based upon it. Now, like you, I see things all around me that create a spark to write from. thank you for the post.
ReplyDeleteDavee,
DeleteThanks for your comments. It is a little "strange" or should I say unique to have a dream nightly with additional scenes being added. Honestly, I don't know of anyone who has ever experienced anything like it....Maybe it was a singular event for me....:-)
Now I have dreams about the sequel, but it's so different. It's like being in a dark room and there are flashes of light or scenes and then they are gone....It's not clear how these scenes relate to each other.
Well, I guess each inspirational experience is unique unto itself, like your experience with your mom. Moms are a huge wealth of inspiration....:-)
Again, thanks so much for you comments.
cool post ^_^
ReplyDeleteThanks Roro...Thanks for stopping by...:-)
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