This is a post about a moment of creative inspiration I experienced yesterday. I'm in the middle of writing a novel, and the story is living very close to the surface of my brain. By that I mean, that I'm thinking about it all the time, and "working" on it all the time, and my characters seem real, and things are boiling and bubbling. Yesterday, I ran into two people, neither of whom I know very well, who gave me answers to key questions about my story. One woman told me an amazing story about her wedding ring...and I have been searching for a wedding ring story. Another woman told me a fantastic story about a trip she took to Scotland that involved sheep and cashmere and a castle...and I have been searching for a story about textiles and the British Isles.
In both cases, I asked the women if I could use their stories in my book. In both cases, they were slightly taken aback, but then said, "Of course." I felt both exhilerated by my "discovery" of their stories, and guily about taking something so personal and so rich from them. These stories were as precious to me as gems, and I was just walking away with them. It seemed too good to be true.
I happened to share this story with a book club this mornig -- yes, a Sunday brunch book club -- and I received this lovely email in response:
"You should think about the stories you are taking from other people as a gift you are giving them. By acknowledging their stories and giving them life in the printed page, you are truly acknowledging the wonderful spirit of the people who are sharing their stories. "
Isn't that grand?
1 comment:
I love this post. The "gift of other people's stories is the gift that keeps on giving" is how I've come to look at it in my work. I inspire folks to Give the Gift of Story by helping them write bio-vignettes about loved ones, and I've been told time & again that I have given them a gift by encouraging them to write their true tales. So you see, whether you're receiving a story, giving a story, or sharing a story it's all about uniting us!
http://www.telltalesouls.com
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