Dream a little dream with me.
Do you dream? Many people have reported that their dreams are more vivid in lockdown. Sometimes they make no sense, and, more often, we don’t remember them when we wake up.
However, dreams can be crystal clear and an inspiration for your writing, if you look at the detail and background ‘noise’ with an analytical eye, rather than at the literal drama itself.
This week I have had a series of dreams – including two vivid action dramas in the same night. Here’s a sample of one of them and what I have taken from it.
In my dream I had two spare tickets for an important cricket match which was taking place outside London on the South Coast; perhaps at the Aegeas Bowl near Southampton, a venue for Hampshire and some international games.
I was living in London and invited my godson Jules (who in reality is not interested in cricket) and his brother Will. We had to travel by bicycle and so we set off early in the morning from an unfamiliar place in south London.
Soon we left the narrow urban streets and were bowling along on ever-widening trunk roads. It was downhill all the way. No traffic light held us up. But, as we sped along, I was aware that none of the signs offered a route to the M3, the A3 or the M25, which I knew were the best ways to get to the cricket ground.
Eventually we were riding on a wide causeway between two big pieces of water. I stopped, in a panic, realising I was lost. In the distance across one of these inland seas, we could see a jumble of traffic lights which we had just passed through, and back to which we were headed on the current route …
The dream ended there. I was left with mixed feelings of initial elation after the exciting start to the journey, and concern at getting lost. Would we have to cycle home with our tails between our legs? Did that mean the end of our venture? Who knows?
The writing process
This dream reminded me of the writing journey, which starts full of promise, can be exciting at times. Then we may find ourselves lost and in unknown territory, feeling we have no one to ask for directions.
Yet writing is a process, like riding a bike. Action is a good way to start, and keep pedalling (going). It is sensible to plan your route, to write steadily for 1-2 hours a day – not speeding blindly along without purpose; and seek help from friends, fellow networkers, and writers or editors you know.
Most people in the writing world are only too happy to support and advise their fellow writers, usually by prompting and asking questions rather than showing the exact way.
Remember, the path of the writer is in our sights, if we look, and it can be bumpy at times.
Remember too that the universe is there to guide us as we write, with useful pieces of news, TV programmes, books, or articles.
Let me help
If you want a free hour’s worth of my time and wide writing knowledge to help you with a writing project, such as website or a book, please contact me.