For quite some time, I'm thinking about transition from story reader to story teller or story reader. I have been a vociferous reader for many years now and have this fetish about writing a book myself.
Unfortunately all that I have done till now is to realize that how difficult it is to actually write a book. One of the main obstacle in this endeavour is to zero in on the central theme or core idea for the book. Going by my reading list or my hobbies. I like the genre of myth fiction or historical fiction as you would call it; apart from edge of seat thriller and science fiction. The common theme along these genres is that you gain some knowledge along with good read. Also it looks like writing a complete novel is way beyond my league right now due to the volume, Hence I'm much better concentrating on short stories to start.
After spending countless frustrating hours battling the writer's block, I've unearthed a very novel way to find my story ideas in dreams. It started from a statement made in jest that I can find my story ideas in my dream only, But in my case it turn out to be true also.
I'm not a frequent dreamer as my sleep cycles are very sporadic due to hectic stressful lifestyle. Also I sleep too little. My theory is that I only had dreams when I rest more than 6 hours at least. Most of the time I'm cutting on my sleep time, trying to squeeze in as many things in the window of 24 hours as I can. But once in Blue moon: I do get dreams. Here again most of the times these dreams are like a blur and not coherent at all. I have also read somewhere that you can't remember how your dream starts. But there are some instances where I had a dream which seems like nice , interesting premise for a story. It gives a vague outline around a start can be woven together. Hence I had this idea of building a short story around the dreams I had.
So without any further ado, here is the last dream that I had.
The main protagonists were a new race of human-buffalo hybrid. Adapting it in story form, Probably it's a dystopian story set in future or any alternate universe. Where evolution has taken a separate path resulting into this race. I could foresee some problems in taking this story further. The first and foremost being that I had this dream long time back and now I don't remember much except the premise described above. I have a vague recollection that It also involves about some kind of sorcery.
One chain of thought also shows this race being slave of humans, although I understand this will be contradictory to overall concept
But all in all I find it interesting chain of thought that instead of humans or ape, some other species could have evolve to be on top of food chain.
As I have already confessed my liking for myth fiction genre, I also think if I can spin off the tail of Goddess slaying Mahishasur at another angle. Though I understand it can be bit controversial.
But the overall idea looks promising enough to give it a try.
Writing a book is a big endeavour. I feel even writing a small story also requires a reading list of 3-4 books to get the trustworthy reference material. One of such book (Sapiens) is already is next in line in my reading list. Plus I have been regular reader of Science fiction series by Douglas E Richards who has touched down this series of questioning quite a few times in his books.
Now that I'm thinking on those line, I do remember another classic book called time traveller where author has envisaged human species splitting into two distinct species in future. Although that book has lot of socialist and communist undertones. Still it was an engaging read. I will glance through that book as well.
It seems like, I will have a longer reading list than writing assignments.
In fact I can wait to get started on this book at the earliest. I'm wondering how will the opening paragraph of this story will look like. Will it give idea about the time frame i.e. year in future.
One learning from toastmasters that I still carry till today is that opening line or opening paragraph of any speech / story is the something which hooks the reader instantly. I still remember some of the opening lines of impactful stories. I hope my first story will do some justice to them !
PS : My 8 years old daughter has also shown interest in writing stories. Though I can't be any more prouder seeing that my daughter is discovering the joy of reading and writing. I feel that I have all the more responsibility now to stop procrastinating any further on writing my first book.
Unfortunately all that I have done till now is to realize that how difficult it is to actually write a book. One of the main obstacle in this endeavour is to zero in on the central theme or core idea for the book. Going by my reading list or my hobbies. I like the genre of myth fiction or historical fiction as you would call it; apart from edge of seat thriller and science fiction. The common theme along these genres is that you gain some knowledge along with good read. Also it looks like writing a complete novel is way beyond my league right now due to the volume, Hence I'm much better concentrating on short stories to start.
After spending countless frustrating hours battling the writer's block, I've unearthed a very novel way to find my story ideas in dreams. It started from a statement made in jest that I can find my story ideas in my dream only, But in my case it turn out to be true also.
I'm not a frequent dreamer as my sleep cycles are very sporadic due to hectic stressful lifestyle. Also I sleep too little. My theory is that I only had dreams when I rest more than 6 hours at least. Most of the time I'm cutting on my sleep time, trying to squeeze in as many things in the window of 24 hours as I can. But once in Blue moon: I do get dreams. Here again most of the times these dreams are like a blur and not coherent at all. I have also read somewhere that you can't remember how your dream starts. But there are some instances where I had a dream which seems like nice , interesting premise for a story. It gives a vague outline around a start can be woven together. Hence I had this idea of building a short story around the dreams I had.
So without any further ado, here is the last dream that I had.
The main protagonists were a new race of human-buffalo hybrid. Adapting it in story form, Probably it's a dystopian story set in future or any alternate universe. Where evolution has taken a separate path resulting into this race. I could foresee some problems in taking this story further. The first and foremost being that I had this dream long time back and now I don't remember much except the premise described above. I have a vague recollection that It also involves about some kind of sorcery.
One chain of thought also shows this race being slave of humans, although I understand this will be contradictory to overall concept
But all in all I find it interesting chain of thought that instead of humans or ape, some other species could have evolve to be on top of food chain.
As I have already confessed my liking for myth fiction genre, I also think if I can spin off the tail of Goddess slaying Mahishasur at another angle. Though I understand it can be bit controversial.
But the overall idea looks promising enough to give it a try.
Writing a book is a big endeavour. I feel even writing a small story also requires a reading list of 3-4 books to get the trustworthy reference material. One of such book (Sapiens) is already is next in line in my reading list. Plus I have been regular reader of Science fiction series by Douglas E Richards who has touched down this series of questioning quite a few times in his books.
Now that I'm thinking on those line, I do remember another classic book called time traveller where author has envisaged human species splitting into two distinct species in future. Although that book has lot of socialist and communist undertones. Still it was an engaging read. I will glance through that book as well.
It seems like, I will have a longer reading list than writing assignments.
In fact I can wait to get started on this book at the earliest. I'm wondering how will the opening paragraph of this story will look like. Will it give idea about the time frame i.e. year in future.
One learning from toastmasters that I still carry till today is that opening line or opening paragraph of any speech / story is the something which hooks the reader instantly. I still remember some of the opening lines of impactful stories. I hope my first story will do some justice to them !
PS : My 8 years old daughter has also shown interest in writing stories. Though I can't be any more prouder seeing that my daughter is discovering the joy of reading and writing. I feel that I have all the more responsibility now to stop procrastinating any further on writing my first book.
