Writing your hopes and fears

Do the things you draw come true?

At the end of Annie Hall, Woody Allen's character writes a play that recreates his breakup with Annie. But in the fictional version, they stay together and the romance continues. Narrating the movie, Woody apologizes to the movie's audience and says "What can I say; it was my first play."

John Lennon changed the lyrics of a song called "I'm Losing You" to "(I feel like) I'm Losing You" because he feared on some level that it could potentially cost him his relationship. Or he thought it was a possibility at least.


Ever since I heard a couple writers say that the things they write can sometimes transform their own lives I've thought I should write something will all the energy I can muster where the character gets everything I want, and finds great happiness and fulfillment in every area of life that matters to me.

But it would be so embarrassing to post. And at least so far, it seems it's even too embarrassing to write and put in a drawer in the basement.

At least I think that's what's stopped me. Why else would I not do it, with such potential magic at my fingertips?

Gotta be embarrassment.

For another thing, it makes for pretty boring fiction to have characters win and being happy and fulfilled all the time. What kind of story would that be??

The reverse comes to mind; a creator could put all their darkest thoughts and horrible impulses into their fiction, and somehow purge them or do something useful with the negative stuff that's in all our minds to some degree.

Vince Giligan of Breaking Bad comes to mind - such a mild mannered, nice guy from what I can tell, but a lot of the bleakest, darkest stuff in Breaking Bad was written by him.

And Stephen King says he writes all his scary thoughts in books, and never, ever has nightmares. He gives 'em to other people, and they love him for it!

How about you? Have things you've written come true? Your wishes? Your nightmares? A little bit of both? Or Neither?

A little flight of fancy for this Thursday.

Have a good one!

-Banes

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