We’ve posted a number of stories about dreams and synchronicity and about dream and the creative process. One of our favorites is from Stephen King’s book on writing, On the Craft, where a vivid dream provided the creative energy – and a plot and characters – for King’s novel, Misery.
While on a flight to London, King fell asleep and dreamed of a woman who holds a writer captive. A female fan. In the dream, the fan eventually killed him, skinned him, and fed his remains to a pig – then used the pig’s skin to bind his novel. As soon as King arrived at his hotel, he sat down and wrote the first 50 pages of the novel.
The final product differed from the dream – the protagonist wasn’t killed, but was terrorized and tortured by the woman who held him captive. What’s so interesting about this dream, though, is that it seemed to plug King right into the creative flow that all writers seek and that flow lasted long enough for him to get the first 50 pages written. The book is considered to be one of King’s most riveting thrillers.
Although Shakespeare was the pen's king for his time, we should note that 'William Shakespeare' anagrams into 'I am a weakish speller.'
On the other hand he also anagrams into 'I'll make a wise phrase.'
Oh and September 21 is on or near the autumnal equinox. The time when we begin to plunge into the misery of darkness.
The driver of the van died less than a year after the accident. Does anyone know the particulars on how?
Jim – didn't realize these two facts! Thanks.
"Stephen King" anagrams into "The Pen's King"
William Shakespeare, the pen's king from an earlier era, died near his own 53rd birthday.
Bryan Smith, the man who hit Stephen King with a blue van, died on September 21, 2000 – which also was Mr. King's 53rd birthday.
The driver of the minivan that hit him died? Lesson learned – don't run into the King of Terror.
The driver of the van died some time after the accident. I agree with you, Lyn. When the muse speaks, we have to listen. I think Misery is one of best, too.
It seems as if however creativity comes our way, we must grasp it, interpret it. Listen to the Muse when it arrives!!
"Misery" is one of King's best..both novel and movie..
Apparently King bought the minivan that hit him and personally took a sledge hammer to it before sending it off to be demolished. So no, I don't suspect that he welcomes synchronicities like this.
Obviously, he was able to vent his frustration, tho I still wouldn't want to be the driver (or the dog in the back seat that had distracted him).
Here it is! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfcICbAhmto
Thanks for the info on King, Toumai. I suspect his life is filled with synchronicities – and some of them, like the Buick/car that hit him – not too welcome!
It seems that the being hit by a car also gets his creative adrenaline going.
These are interesting wiki facts and I think, sychronicities regarding Stephen King:
On June 19, 1999 King was struck by a minivan while walking and reading a book. He suffered a collapsed right lung, multiple fractures of his right leg, scalp laceration and a broken hip.
Earlier that year, King had finished most of his novel, From a Buick 8, in which a character dies after getting struck by a car.
Kings novel,Dreamcatcher, was written longhand, the author's tool for recuperation from the 1999accident, and was completed in half a year.
In 1996 King collaborated with Michael Jackson to create Ghosts a long and expensive musical video.
Since August 2003, King has written a column on pop culture appearing in Entertainment Weekly, called "The Pop of King", a play on the nickname "The King of Pop" commonly given to Michael Jackson.
King's newest novel is titled Under the Dome, a reworking of an unfinished novel he tried writing twice in the late 1970s and early 1980s; it was published on November 10, 2009.
King’s daughter Naomi ministers for the Unitarian Universalist Church of River of Grass, in Plantation, Florida with her same-sex partner, Rev. Dr. Thandeka.
King is often asked why he writes such terrifying stories which he answers with, "Why do you assume I have a choice?"
In an Amazon.com interview, King said the one book he wishes he'd written is Lord of the flies, by William Golding.
Good story, Terri. I had read somewhere, probably in On the Craft, that driving always gets his creative adrenaline going.
dreams do spark creativity.
Wow. What's even more fun is – last year I attended an event where Steven King talked about how he had this idea for Misery. But he couldn't get past the initial concept. Then he had to pick up -or drop off- not sure which – his daughter in Oregon. Then he had to drive from Portland, OR to Portland, MA and the journey across so many states of nothing but BORING helped him create MISERY.
What I found most fun that night, is the audience was more concerned with Mr. King's pronunciation of – OREGON.
My observation: When presented with greatness we can get stuck on the pronunciation.