Do you know how to decrease inhibition . . . - Page 2 - Writers Forum

CodeRed · 02-25-2008, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

CodeRed – not too sure I understand what you’re saying here.

*Sigh* Nobody ever does, strangely.

seigfried007 · 02-26-2008, 10:15 AM

Ox, I hadn't necessarily meant to say that you need to write your dreams into coherant stories.

Once in a while, I have a dream that gets to me--one so real that I can't ignore it, one where I feel the spiderwebs on my skin and smell the cool mist hovering like dust in the air, one with cold breezes and warm spring sun and tangible fear. Oddly enough, all the dreams where I can read something are like that (and they say people can't read in dreams. Pah.). These dreams don't usually make a great deal of sense but the detail in these dreams begs to be reckoned with.

I've met some interesting characters in my dreams--and I've actually written one. He's a giant, hairless orange tabby cat that led me through a city of ghosts after an apocalypse hit. There are elements of the story that I won't include in my fiction (more than likely) though the drowning pits where 'conscientious objectors' were thrown with their religious artwork, the defaced cathedrals now used to house the new gods (which were giant animals), the hairless cat with his knowing, amber gaze and the city are all part of a science fiction series I'm working through. They're far from the whole series (which has been in the works for years) but formed a major piece of the ending.

The thing about writing dreams (particularly if you're a speculative fiction writer) is that what haunts you will haunt other people. What strikes you as powerful or meaningful or frightening will do so for the reader if your craft is up to par.

Plus, dreams are free and painless lessens in your own creativity. If you write them down or take a minute to ponder them, you'll realize pretty quick that your brain knows a thing or two about making weird stuff up

BTW, I'm glad #4 sounded like a good idea. Worked for me lots of times, so I hope it does the trick for you.f

quarterscot · 02-26-2008, 02:25 PM

You're too inhibited, Backward Ox? You seem to have spent most of your 8 months on this site insulting, well, pretty much everyone else on this site. I can think of various words for you but 'inhibited' isn't one of them.

Perhaps you're introverted in real life. But you certainly seem to open up when you're behind a keyboard. Me too. That's one of the many, many great things about writing. There's no need to be shy. The worst case scenario is that nobody will read what you've written and so nobody will judge you.

Other than that, I can only repeat the advice you've given to so many other people. Stop dithering about, stop telling yourself you're worthless. Just get some ideas together and write the damn things down.

Incidentally, congratulations on being inspired by your dreams, Seigfried. Rarely happens to me. I'm sure I had a superb dream last night, full of time travel and sci-fi cities. But the only incident I remember with any clarity is purchasing a new tie.

Foxee · 02-26-2008, 03:08 PM

Quote:

'm sure I had a superb dream last night, full of time travel and sci-fi cities. But the only incident I remember with any clarity is purchasing a new tie.

There's a story there, too. Stories aren't always far-fetched. Sometimes they start with a regular, everyday event or the attempt to carry out a mundane task. Then you begin to find out what happens next.

Step into your character's shoes and ask some questions to get the ideas flowing:

What happened when you went to buy a new tie?

Was the salesgirl/guy good looking or ugly? Old or young? Or did you buy it online?

Do you only buy silk ties? Why? Can you tie one? What style of tie?

Why did you need a new one, is it for a special event?

How do you feel about the event that you're buying the tie for?

Were you able to find one you like or do you hate all ties on principle?

What expectations do you have for when you wear the tie and are they fulfilled or will you end up willingly strangling yourself with the tie before all is said and done?

Cash, check, or credit card? Or did you steal it?

How long before food of some sort lands on this tie? What kind? Clean it or scrap it?

No, I'm not saying that you necessarily write a story about a guy buying a tie. I'm saying let that thought be the doorway that you use to step into a character's life and then just go along for the ride.

Can't promise that this method creates a good story every time but it is a legitimate method to get out of your own head and into your character's.

Now, write a 500 word story that includes a character buying a tie and have it on my desk by...

...oops. Sorry! Wrong forum.

seigfried007 · 02-26-2008, 04:20 PM

LOL Foxee

Don't mention the Mom dreams! Please, dear gosh, no! Not the endless I'm-needing-to-find-something-at-Wal-Mart-and-make-dinner-and-keep-the-baby-from-squalling-and my-daughter-from-exploding-and-the dogs-from-escaping-out-the-front-door-as-I-take-out-the-trash dreams!

Quarterscot, yes, I consider myself rather fortunate to have such vivid dreams. Had some humdingers lately-one's so weird I think I must be pregnant

Something about marrying an Indian midget who was shot in front of me at a political rally and died in my arms after I plucked his tiny form from the bloodied floor and ran off in search of help (which was thoroughly not forthcoming). I read his nametag in the dream. It was weird because we'd had an arranged marrriage and couldn't speak the same language at all but I loved him anyway.

Or the ones I had last night where I was searching for a bathroom and the lines were measured in miles... and someone was choking me right before I woke up. Had lots of dreams about needing a place to pee lately

Foxee · 02-26-2008, 04:48 PM

Seig, that was a VERY interesting dream. It sounds like you have more work sorting the raw material of your thoughts than a need to find raw material for your stories.

An Indian midget? Huh.

Can't say I've remembered any dreams that detailed lately.

Katastrof · 02-26-2008, 06:09 PM

Damn Seig, I wish had that many vivid (if any dreams) at all. I've had a few good ones, but I mostly forget about them or they're too weird to be anything.

There has only been one dream recently that might have some potential. It was about an enormous undead women who was getting married and I had to dress up as the priest (a satanic one, I think) in order to stop it. And she was really strong. Like she could run through walls and toss aside cars. Come to think of it, it was more like a nightmare than a dream...

Carl · 02-26-2008, 11:38 PM

I am so glad I found this thread!
So my dream about being locked in a house and to escape, I had to defeat a breakdancing Freddie Kruger isn't me going insane?

papertears · 02-27-2008, 12:32 AM

you say no drugs. i'm assuming you mean alcohol, herbs, coffee, prescriptions, and illegal drugs.

there are natural stimulants in your body, like adrenaline and some of the chemicals--endorphins i think they're called, forgive my spelling--that get released when you laugh, eat hot foods and exercise. i have terrible depression and i use those three methods to get a natural boost, which coincidentally gives me a little 'buzz'. i also happened to notice they help me write!

exercise can be dangerous, so talk to the doc and all before doing anything major.

hot food, well that one is up to your best judgment--but i recommend New Mexico food, Thai food or anything that gets you sweating when you eat!

laughter, called the best medicine, and i can attest to it. it has no side effects other than possible stitches in the side and tears of joy! sometimes you appear foolish. watch something really silly, there are some great comedians out there.

anyhow, these activities get endorphins going and those not only lift my mood but allow me to break writers block and get me uninhibited. i can't drink anymore because of the depression, but these things make me feel like i did when i was buzzed from two sips of beer.

by the way, i'm uni-polar and have never had a manic episode in 14 years, so i know its nothing like that.

its just using the body's natural chemicals to get a high. the one problem is you build up a tolerance. so you have to do more and more. (good spicy food gets hard to find!)

i never tried the illegal drugs so i can't make a comparison. i'm not advocating over exercising, eating too much spicy food or laughing too much. lifestyle changes should be moderate.

i just read your question and wanted to offer a weird and different point of view.

~pt

seigfried007 · 02-27-2008, 10:08 AM

Hell no, Carl. Try my reoccuring dream about having sex with Leonardo (not DiCaprio--the ninja turtle). Worse yet, enjoy it and slam a civil suit on him for sexual harassment. I swear I was about 13 when I first had that dream. Don't even ask me how it was physically possible... I don't wanna think about it

The most laughable dreams I think are the ones that are terrifying while you're dreaming but--after you've had a few hours to mellow out or, worse yet, tell someone about the nightmare and get some funny looks for your effort--are really dumb. Like the ones where carving-knife-carrying, rock-eating, axe-wielding old people in glow-in-the-dark tuxedos or flower-plastered polyester mumus try to kill you and your family. Wet the bed for that one when I was 15, and I distinctly remember getting up and changing my sheets, thinking all the while, "Old people? What the hell? I must be crazy."

Eat something hot--then you'll have crazy dreams

mwd · 02-28-2008, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Backward OX

And “Inner Editor” should be my middle name. I can’t write even one sentence without stopping and revising it. But not doing it is, I fear, easier in the saying than in the doing.

I struggled with this for a while. A trick that helped me was to write blind. I'd turn off my monitor until I was done. Made it impossible to go back and revise, or reread what I had done. My inner editor couldn't do anything, so he shut up after a while.

It also significantly increased the number of typos and silly mistakes I made, heh ... but as an exercise I think it can be helpful.

seigfried007 · 02-28-2008, 05:34 PM

Nifty, mwd!

I have the terrible habit of looking at the keyboard anyway, so you can imagine my typos

I guess if you can't kill the bastard, go ahead and blind him

mi is happy · 02-28-2008, 06:14 PM

Ummm.... Let see... I'm dyslexic and we all are naturally creative, I think... So just pretend to be depressed, have a learning disorder, or just re-live high school and pretend to be a 14 year old protege. That's how a lot of big name authors did it.

winner · 03-01-2008, 02:13 AM

Olly Buckle · 03-01-2008, 08:55 AM

I don't know if this thread has done anything for you Ox, but my head is now buzzing with ideas that interfere with what I am trying to write (poem for the challenge)