Daydreaming Makes You A Better Writer
Digital illustration by Harley Bell
Writing starts with an idea
Where do ideas come from?
Mine appear when I stop thinking and allow myself to dream.
It’s like finding my car keys after I’ve stopped looking for them.
But they were there the entire time, hiding between the couch cushions. Ideas are like that ― out of sight but always within reach.
Inspiration can strike at any moment.
If you are caught unprepared. The magic of your ideas can disappear down the couch.
Let’s change that.
Deliberate Daydreaming
Dreams are the strongest at night. But quickly evaporate when we try to capture them in the morning.
Daydreams are different. They are far more powerful.
“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.” ― T.E. Lawrence
Deliberate Daydreaming is the art of directing stray thoughts towards a destination.
The destination is your writing.
Dreams are fuel for your imagination. They are a way to find out what happens next in your story.
Or a way to inhabit the internal lives of your characters.
Wherein, you can empathize and explore their emotions.
Daydreams can also help you come up with a killer headline for your article.
Ignite the imagination
“A piece of creative writing, like a daydream, is a continuation of, and a substitute for, what was once the play of childhood.” ― Sigmund Freud.
Imagination is a serious business when you’re a writer.
It is necessary for so many parts of the creative process.
But the imagination needs fuel to burn brightly.
On a scale of one to inferno, how bright does your imagination burn?
What do you do when it burns down and dwindles?
Daydreaming is like adding wood to the fire.
It allows your mind to wander wherever you want to go.
But it so teaches you to bring back fuel.
The ideas you explore while dreaming can breathe life into your writing.
This can lead to innovation.
Incubate your ideas
“The subconscious mind has been working extremely hard to solve the problems you face and now that you let your mind wander, it can surface and plant those ideas into your conscious mind.” ― Shelley H. Carson
Fire makes embers, and it is the embers that create the real heat.
How long do you let your ideas cook before you act upon them?
Ideas need to incubate. The subconscious is a valuable ally in this process.
It allows ideas to grow. It encourages ideas to make friends with the other ideas that live inside your brain.
This is when your characters can surprise you.
When they come alive and seemingly act on their own accord.
Or when the article seems to write itself.
Deliberate Daydreaming facilitates this process. It involves creating an environment, whereby you feel comfortable enough that you stay engaged and stay long enough to have uninterrupted thoughts.
This could be anywhere, such a shower or on a long walk.
Begin with intention. End with action.
The fire has been lit. The embers are hot. You are almost ready.
First, you need to be armed with a notebook.
Or some other way to record the thoughts of your wandering mind.
When the dreams come, fast and heavy, you need to be prepared to capture them.
But there’s a catch. You also need to trick your brain into forgetting the recording equipment is there.
Try keeping your notebook out of sight but somewhere that you can blindly find it.
If the brain thinks that it needs to find inspiration, it can disrupt the process of dreaming.
The brain is prone to treating this like a task and will focus on it.
The key is to be unfocused. To be doing something that is familiar and mildly engaging, then letting the mind wander.
Afterwards, spend some time reflecting.
If you missed them, write down the ideas that emerged.
If you can, come up with a plan to take action on them.
Till next time,
Harley.
