Of Bald Men and Spiders
Yesterday morning, I awoke from a nightmare in which Jean Luc Picard was being viciously attacked by a giant hairy spider. He was screaming. . . Jean Luc I mean. The spider was quiet. But then it was so ugly and vile that it didn't need to make any noise to be frightening. It was just too awful to see our intrepid captain in such dire straits, so naturally I did the decent thing and woke up. Last I saw him, he was still alive thank goodness.
I sat bolt upright in bed, blinking. And unbidden, like some leftover dream flotsam, came two ideas for stories. Bam. Just like that. I grabbed my journal and began scribbling down a few thoughts. It was weird as all get out.
You know as a writer, one would like to answer the question, "So [insert famous author's name here], where do you get the ideas for your scintillating stories?" .... with some lengthy and noble dissertation about long walks by the sea, retreating to lonely cabins perched atop cliffs, month long fasts, or some other ascetic process. But all I get to report are cold sweats after dumb nightmares. And the story ideas have nothing whatsoever to do with spiders or handsome bald captains of space ships. More's the pity.
So now, I am once again flirting with the idea of doing the NaNoWriMo challenge. Actually, I admire anyone who has done it more than once. The first time I participated, I thought it would be 'fun'. I had no idea what unleashing my anal retentive 'I made a commitment' tendency would put me through in that 30 days. I still get shivers thinking about it.
It was like living in an alternate reality. (My favorite kind of fantasy).
But it's a lot more fun to READ about alternate realities than to LIVE in one let me tell you.
Whew!
But still....
I have this idea for a story.
And I don't want Jean Luc's suffering to have been in vain. I don't give a fig for the spider mind you. He can shrivel to a husk and I wouldn't care a whit. But the captain, that is a different matter all together.
(She always has to do all this emotional loading of ordinary run of the mill events. It is just too tedious. Do the thing, or don't do the thing. Let's just leave old baldy out of it shall we?)
I sat bolt upright in bed, blinking. And unbidden, like some leftover dream flotsam, came two ideas for stories. Bam. Just like that. I grabbed my journal and began scribbling down a few thoughts. It was weird as all get out.
You know as a writer, one would like to answer the question, "So [insert famous author's name here], where do you get the ideas for your scintillating stories?" .... with some lengthy and noble dissertation about long walks by the sea, retreating to lonely cabins perched atop cliffs, month long fasts, or some other ascetic process. But all I get to report are cold sweats after dumb nightmares. And the story ideas have nothing whatsoever to do with spiders or handsome bald captains of space ships. More's the pity.
So now, I am once again flirting with the idea of doing the NaNoWriMo challenge. Actually, I admire anyone who has done it more than once. The first time I participated, I thought it would be 'fun'. I had no idea what unleashing my anal retentive 'I made a commitment' tendency would put me through in that 30 days. I still get shivers thinking about it.
It was like living in an alternate reality. (My favorite kind of fantasy).
But it's a lot more fun to READ about alternate realities than to LIVE in one let me tell you.
Whew!
But still....
I have this idea for a story.
And I don't want Jean Luc's suffering to have been in vain. I don't give a fig for the spider mind you. He can shrivel to a husk and I wouldn't care a whit. But the captain, that is a different matter all together.
(She always has to do all this emotional loading of ordinary run of the mill events. It is just too tedious. Do the thing, or don't do the thing. Let's just leave old baldy out of it shall we?)
Comments (7)
Cassia (Legacy)
That's fantastic, to get a story idea that way!
And I'm going to have to click on NaNoWriMo now because my curiosity is killing me!
And I'm going to have to click on NaNoWriMo now because my curiosity is killing me!
Pragmatist (Legacy)
()just has no imagination or sympathy.
Jean Luc and a big hairy spider? Bald. Hairy. Is there a connection here?
Shalom
PS: I will enjoy the inspiration that comes out of your nightmare. :)
Jean Luc and a big hairy spider? Bald. Hairy. Is there a connection here?
Shalom
PS: I will enjoy the inspiration that comes out of your nightmare. :)
Camomille (Legacy)
I love the idea! I definitely think you should do the contest again.
welshamethyst (Legacy)
Someone suggested that I do the nanowrimo thingy but the idea kinda scares me....
Dananarama (Legacy)
My dreams seem like alternate realities sometimes. Nightmares aren't rare to me either, but rather than be afraid of them, I now embrace them....and I have to say they're better than the movies a lot of the time, and cheaper ;)
ImNotLisa (Legacy)
Well, for the record I find myself pondering your last NaNoWriMo composition, wondering what happened next. There's always a next you know. So by all means, grab your pen (for the Luddite in you) or your keyboard and get to work!
MizzM (Legacy)
How funny! Pretty much EVERY story idea I have ever had came from a dream (and my dreams are very dull and boring and most certainly do not contain very large spiders). I am SOOOO tempted by the NaNoWriMo idea, but with 2 kids in the house needing homework surveillance and transportation to scouting events, I'm begging off. As an act of support; however, I will write some fiction along with you (although, at a fraction of the pace...)
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