I've heard that some authors keep a notebook on their bed stands for the sole purpose of capturing inspiration from their dreams. A dream I had last night has motivated me to do just that. The odd thing is, the actual dream I had would never be woven into one of my books. (I should never say never). But the dream I had before it--or maybe I was awake and thought this, I can't differentiate--was the motivating factor to obtain the bedside notebook. I remember feeling a push to write down some of my dreams and share them on my blog. (I've been grasping at straws trying to come up with new stuff for my blog as of late). In that semi-comatose state, I committed to my self to document my dreams and perhaps share the best ones on my blog.
Then I fell back asleep and dreamed that I had a Mr. Potato Head-like arm growing out of my head. It started out as a mole, but quickly grew. It felt like plastic but was the color of flesh. I told my husband that I wanted to go to the doctor and have it cut off because it was embarrassing, and I didn't think it would be appropriate for me to wear a hat to church. He said we couldn't afford the medical costs, because he was unemployed and we didn't have insurance. The dream felt horribly real. I was more than relieved when I woke up.
I definitely don't think that dream will lead to a best seller. But I do know that my imagination is at its height during my dreams, coming up with fantastic stories that my wakeful self could never hope to conjure up in a million years. I would be crazy if I didn't take advantage of that bountiful resource.
How many readers and writers out there think their dreams could be woven into a good story?
Well, you never know what crazy thing might end up as a best seller! I have used my dreams many times as inspiration for my stories. I don't usually write them down. The best ones stick with me.
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