On the Raw: The Real Reason I Want to Write Short Stories…
I went to bed last night rather early. I had a headache, and I really wanted to get some extra rest to prep for this weekend. Not that there is any huge going on, but I need to take better care of myself. Over the course of nearly 13 hours of sleep, I managed to dream. It’s hard for me to sleep, and harder still for me to dream. This one though? This dream had potential. For close to the last two hours, I was dreaming while jumping into and out of sleep. I managed to remember huge swathes of the dream as well.
The first thing I did when I got up was to write down everything I could remember about the dream, the world I had created, and the various interactions for whatever magical system I had been working with in the dream. The one from this morning was rather inventive, which is pretty awesome for me. My latest story involves men and women becoming addicted to their own abilities by nefarious parties outside of their control. I’d say having something which I qualify as ‘interesting’ is a good first step towards a good story.
Here’s where I tend to run into trouble. I have these ideas, but if I’m in the middle of a larger project, such as a book, then I can’t actually pursue them. That seems like a horrible shame to me. I love these stories for their brevity and ingenuity, and it feels better for my own sensibilities to write down as many of these ideas as I can. Maybe that’s wrong of me. Maybe I’m turning down the actual things which will make my writing career better.
I just enjoy how active this whole process makes my mind. I love that I can channel all of those moments of daydreaming into something productive. I write short stories not because they are easier (they are), but because it makes it so that I feel productive when my head is lost in the clouds. Suddenly, something which has plagued me for so long is less of a burden, and more of a blessing. I like that feeling. That isn’t something I’ll give up without a fight.
Dreamfully,
Justin
