DREAMING.

It is as easy to dream a book as it is hard to write one.

Honore de Balzac, novelist (1799-1850)

 

 

 

It is easy to dream, both day and night. In fact, to this writer, I'd file dreaming under "play" rather than under the heading of "work."

 

Work comes when we try to make a dream a reality. So, that cutesy saying, "Dare to dream" or "Dare to dream big!" is just that--cute, but without putting some oomph into it, it only a dream.

Now, some dreams are pure pie-in-the-sky; others, more realistic. Some dreams may be attributed to a whisper from the divine, and others attributed to too many anchovies on your midnight pizza!

 

Seriously, I think dreams should be examined in light of one's personality, gifts/skills/desires/training. Some dreams are just the brain piling and filing...some dreams are just plain entertaining...and I think some are the serious outcry of the heart and mind and soul, and had best be heeded.

 

Had any of that third kind lately? I had one of a fictional character--I'd never met her, but she was crystal clear in speech and in looks and behavior. She strode into the dream like a queen before her underlings. Her speech was posh British. Her sense of humor--well, what can I say...she punned...in Latin.

 

Now, maybe this was just a simply entertaining dream...goodness, where it came from is beyond me (hah!) as I hadn't read or seen anything that at all resembled this character. Read any Brit-lit lately? No. Any strong females in any of the books I'd read recently? Not really. No midnight pizza, not of any flavor!

 

So, what to do, what to do? I wrote her down--I figger she'll be useful as a character is some story, someday.

 

But, to make the dream come true, I would be better off to ask meself:

--what story?

--when you starting it?

--why haven't you started it while the dream is still vivid?

--all right, shut up, I'm going to start right now.

P.S. I did start, and she is hilarious in her role. Now, to decide how big to grow her!



We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.

   We don't stop playing because we grow old;
           we grow old because we stop playing.


What's the diff twixt work and play? Is it a vast gulf? Are there times when it's only a wide ditch that a bold leap might span? Might the issue be that it's our attitude that needs an adjustment so that work and play have greater overlap?

Writing has to be filed under the "work" heading: if one is going to construct good sentences that weave together into cogent ppghs that synergize to create a great story--you betcha it's work!

BUT...a playful attitude helps a lot--why be perfectionistic with the first draft? I just play with words, both for meaning and for sound (alliteration, assonance, consonsance) and for the flow of the sound and the meaning. Editing time--there's where the perfectionism comes to the forefront...with icy gaze, pretty phrases that are cluttering up the tidy and simple meaning need to be axed.
     "But, it was witty and pretty and..." sez Smitti.
     "Ix-nay, it was too much icing and not enuff cake!" says the editor. "Much too often, books and periodicals are not adequately edited...and I mean for more than just spelling and grammar! There's too much language when 'just the facts' would have been better. Other sentences just go 'thud,' forcing the reader to reread the prior sentence or the prior ppgh--when that happens, unless the reader is young or distractable, I put the blame on the writer! K.I.S.S. is still a fundamental and simple truth!" the editor said, shaking his head and disappearing into his lair with a parting growl.

If dogs and cats and bear cubs and otters play, and human kids play...seems to me it just might have something to do with the imago dei...or is that just a crazed thought? [Your thoughts welcomed...there's a spot below for comments--that's sorta the idea of a blog--that we converse!]

Is play always frivolous? Look at the industrious approach taken by a child who's building (or breaking!) something orfiguring out a game or device...the kid is focused, delighted, and isn't happy to be interrupted!

I think that play is something either programmed or needed by all of us. Sure, there are time to be plodding and focused and not-very-playful with detailed, finicky undertakings...but life is too short to not try to add a measure of fun to every task. I think Mary Poppins had it right, "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go do-own..."

Hmmm?

---------

Okay, I've had a few mnths to digest this blog post...so, ten months later, here's my response:

--Drawing on my own experiences, when I am "at work," I may be productive, but the productivity is rote and necessary. Creativity and fun are not part of most people's "work vocabulary."
--When I don't approach writing as play--I end up writing very little.
--When I do approach writing as work--I'd better be in editor-mode.
--I haven't produced much creativity lately...perhaps 'cuz I'm focused on marketing my last book.
--Time to go play at my writing--see ya later.