Jan
Let’s Pretend
I realized the other day that I’ve always made stuff up. No, I’m not a liar. Even when I told my husband a runaway shopping cart crashed into the car and dented the fender, I eventually confessed.
But I’ve always had an active imagination. As a child I used to “pretend,” sometimes in the privacy of the only bathroom in my house, which caused a great deal of inconvenience for my family. I liked the way the sunlight slanted through the frosted-glass window onto the peach tiles. The golden ambiance was conducive to my childhood flights of fancy, where I pictured myself far from home. I was a red-headed actress on the cover of a glossy magazine (I was a natural blond then—now, not so natural). A glamorous flight attendant exploring the world in high heels. A teacher with a class roster of invisible children in a marble notebook. I gave them all real grades, of course.
After I envisioned myself as a bride, Eugene was the name I picked out for the adorable son I’d have with my high school boyfriend Bruce when we started a family. Yes, Eugene. I think my real son Christopher is quite relieved that didn’t happen. And I don’t know what ever happened to Bruce.Â
Now I get to create and christen a whole host of characters. I’m out of the bathroom, too. I sit in my tiny writing room, waiting for that shaft of sunlight to strike.
Where do you get your best ideas? Did you have imaginary friends/pupils/children? How many people do you have in your head right now?
I can definitely say I have no imaginary friends.But I have many people in my head…wait, doesn’t that make them imaginary? LOL
I get my best ideas at night (weird since I’m a morning person) once I get into my grove of writing for the night, the ideas just start flowing.
January 27th, 2008 at 7:59 amI did plenty of pretending as a child. I had to to escape my reality. But though I talked and carried on full, often lengthy, conversations, I didn’t actually picture anyone. Just heard the voices.
Now, they have faces. And personalities and in some cases, serious attitude problems. I’d say 99% of the time my characters show up while I’m driving or trying to sleep. These are the only two times my mind can focus and not be going in a million different directions at one time. The only problem is, I can’t write them down while I’m driving and I really need to get to sleep.
I find that if I get out of bed and write down what I’m getting, they seem content to leave me alone at least until the next day. Isn’t that nice of them? LOL!
January 27th, 2008 at 8:55 amI had an imaginary friend, but I lived out in the boonies, and neighbors were not close by. My brothers were always doing something anyway, so I was left alone very frequently to fend for myself, or just chased outside. Amazing what 30 years changes huh?
January 27th, 2008 at 12:02 pmDiana, I know, now it’s perfectly all right for me to be laughing and talking to myself. I was an only child and had to keep myself entertained somehow.
Terri, I think of fabulous things in dreams, but often can’t retrieve them when I awake. At least that’s my excuse for the lame stuff I actually write.
Tiff, I’m a morning person too. Luckily I don’t have to be to work until 10:30, so I try to write early every morning.
January 27th, 2008 at 12:39 pmDriving is my very best time, by far. And the most inconvenient. How I wish my imagination didn’t freeze up before the big, black box
January 27th, 2008 at 3:22 pmGillian, you have to get a voice-activated tape recorder on the dashboard of your car. Then you can talk to yourself later!
January 27th, 2008 at 5:05 pmI never had an imaginary friend as a child. I had two siblings, scores of cousins, and a neighborhood full of playmates, so I guess I never felt the need. I did have a vivid imagination, and my best friend and I had two elaborate on-going games that kept us occupied for several years. In one we were cowgirls who ordered Roy, Gene, and Lash (whom most of you are too young to remember) around and got rid of the villains more quickly than they. In the other we were jungle princesses who protected our tribe’s treasure (our mothers’ discarded costume jewelry) with swords and bows and dreadful war cries that struck terror in our enemies dark hearts.
My characters stay in my head these days, but they do speak to me–often when I am driving. I have missed an exit several times because I was so engrossed in their conversation.
January 27th, 2008 at 5:53 pmJanga, for me it was Flash Gordon on the playground! I do remember Roy.
January 28th, 2008 at 6:23 am