Insomniac Nightmares

The question authors are probably asked most is “Where do you get your ideas?” (The second is probably “What’s wrong with you?” at least if you write horror novels.)

I was planning on doing a video on the topic today, but between my lungs not cooperating with me and my modem apparently deciding it wanted a vacation, that wasn’t particularly feasible. Still, I’ve had a good run of over a week with at least one productive thing done per day and I didn’t want to break the streak when the new year is only 11 days old. So just posting some of my thoughts here. Keep in mind this is just my opinion and situation; I’m sure every writer would have a different answer, and any given answer may not be the whole story. Frequently we just spew out whatever sounds deep and interesting at the time.

For me, a lot of my recent work has to do with dreams. The dreams I’ve had, the ones I used to have, and the ones I don’t know I had. At least I think that’s where some of them come from when I just wake up and have some idea burning in the back of my mind and set forth to scribble it down. Or at least try to; several of those are languishing in the depths of the “recently opened” history of Pages.

The current projects, Believe Me and “Layers,” stem from that. Believe Me was the result of too many episodes of Psychic Detectives and Forensic Files being played while heading to sleep. Pretty simple. What if a fake psychic staged crimes for her to “solve” and thus gain fame and fortune? The kicker is that afterward, she actually ends up showing some psychic ability, but no one believes her until it’s possibly too late. I’ve mentioned before that I enjoy “Cry Wolf” stories, and this is my attempt in that style.

“Layers” is, on the other hand, a more personal piece. It’s taken me a long time – and a lot of urging from my shrink – to decide to actually put it down on paper (digital or otherwise.) Like Ben Mears from ‘Salem’s Lot, it’s sort of an attempt to exorcise the demons of my childhood through writing. Hopefully, it doesn’t twist in my hand and try to bite, as Mears’ relationship with the Marsten House and what dwells there does.

I’ve been plagued by recurring nightmares since I was at least 5, and probably before that. “Layers” is the semi-fictionalized version of one of those nightmares. I just hope those of you out there are enjoying the story, and don’t consider it so much egotistical garbage. I know I am… at least significantly more than the nightmares that led to it.

What about those among you who are writers or other artistic types? What drives you to create the things you do? Where do your ideas come from? Feel free to share them below.