The theme for this edition is 'Dreams'. There was no trouble coming up with an idea for a story, but after 6 drafts I was no closer to having any idea what I was trying to say.
The submission deadline for the next edition of 'Turl Times' has been looming. I love a good deadline.
Somehow I came up with the notion I really wanted to steer well clear of 'dreaming' as we know it. I wanted to write about 'the opposite of dreams'. Then I came up with 'what if nobody dreamed anymore, what if no one knew how to?'.
An idea arose about a story of a guy who used to be some sort of farmer - he used to Harvest dreams.
Because nobody dreams or daydreams anymore, he is out of work - like a sort of 'economic depression' has forced him out of work.
My efforts up until last week were 'try hard'. I sort of came at it based on the idea that a reporter or some young guy was seeking out this bitter, old man. It was not working.
The other night I brought myself back to basics and scrapped everything. Whose story was I trying to tell. Make it his story.
From there it fell out in one sitting and - hey presto - submission ready with 4 days to go.
I wrote it in 1st person as though Old Man Harvest is having a one-sided conversation with somebody who has sought him out to find out what his life used to be like.
Needless to say that it will work as a script for stage and maybe screen too!
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