"I was reading a magazine as I waited my turn at a barber shop one day when, triggered by a particular article and the photographs that went with it, there floated up out of some hitherto unexplored subcellar of me a character who was to dominate my life as a writer for the next six years and more."(F. Buechner "Listening to Your Life pp. 48-49)
While I haven't written any creative fiction since elementary school, I can picture how a character arises out of reading something. My usual judgement on the quality of writing is can I picture the scene or the character in my mind's eye. There are certain authors that immediately come to mind for me in that way. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, JK Rowling. Many of the books I read in K-12 this would happen also, though many of those authors have faded in my memory.
I used to like to imagine having a large family. I would name those brothers and sisters, create their interests etc. That stopped when my second grade teacher investigated my stories and called me a liar. I also used to write short stories based on New Yorker Covers. My third grade teacher even sent one to the editor of that magazine and I got a response. I still think 3rd grade was the best year of elementary school for me.
I find that my fantasy world now seems stuck in the what could have beens and the what may never be's. I'm either the greatest high school wrestler ever and really focused on school and that sport. And in the what may never be's I'm leading a huge church or am some big mucky muck in the hierarchy.
Luckily there is enough positive reality to keep me sane and happy. But occasionally it's good to dream up a character named Ed, who never was, and may never be.
Blessings,
Ed
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