Writers Dreaming
A gem of a book, by Naomi Epel - I read it in one sitting.
As a writer and teacher of writing, I’ve always been interested in the psychology of creativity so I love reading other writers’ reflections on their personal process, and this book is all about a key aspect of mine, harnessing the guiding power of dreams. It’s a treasure trove of fascinating interviews.
I was a dreamer before I was a writer, and my dream life has always been closely connected with my writing, a connection I explored in depth in Writing in the House of Dreams. So I was delighted to chance upon this collection of interviews with authors talking about the relationship between their dreams and writing.
Probably my favourite interview is with Sue Grafton, because she captures the edgy nature of dreams and creative work, the ‘sense of jeopardy’ that comes with handing yourself over completely to the inner world of imagination. She describes the feeling of something mystical powering the writing process. Like me, she does not believe that all dreams have psychological meaning, but engages with them as pure imaginal substance.
I love the way Stephen King compares his writing process with dreaming. He talks about his preparations for writing being like a bedtime ritual; he says entering into writing feels like falling asleep to the world, and finishing feels like emerging from the dream state in the morning.
Maya Angelou talks about the small mind and the large mind, which is very much my experience of dreaming and writing. They both take you into worlds without limits, and add a new dimension to waking life that makes it feel much bigger.
This whole book is full of great writerly chat, and it’s one you can dip in and out of if you’re busy, although I have to say I was so gripped I read it all in one go on a day trip to London, sitting on park benches and in cafes.
This is extracted from a guest post I wrote for Writers Review, a site set up and run by some writing friends, Linda Newbery, Celia Rees and Adele Geras, where authors share an eclectic mix of their personal book recommendations. My go-to when I’m needing some reading inspiration - if you love reading, check it out.
You can read about this writer’s dreaming in ‘Writing in the House of Dreams’, a mix of essay, memoir and practical workbook.
If you are interested in using dreams and creative dream techniques in your writing, check out my ‘Writing in the House of Dreams’ course here
