Dream on…

So many blogs and interviews ask the same question of us writers. When did you know you wanted to become a writer? How did you become a writer? Do you have any advice for aspiring writers. Here’s a bit of inspiration from my own story.

One memory of my early teen years stands out vividly. My best friend, Bronwyn and I would sit on the school quad or lean against one of the class walls during break. Sometimes my twin sister and our little group of close friends would join us and we would just sit, munching on peanut butter sandwiches and dreaming of the future.

Even then, my passion for language and creative writing was evident. While my friends spoke of becoming doctors and conservationists, I distinctly remember telling Bronwyn that one day, I would be an author and that my first novel would be dedicated to her. (Yes it is!)

Thankfully, I was blessed with wonderful parents who proved supportive of my aspirations. I don’t think they will ever fully understand the influential role they have played, and continue to play in my life. It’s something I’ve only come to understand myself in adulthood and now that I have children of my own. I only hope that I can give my children the same gift.

From early on, my father encouraged me to keep a ‘dream chart’. My first chart was a piece of white project cardboard with a bunch of pictures and cut out phrases from magazines. Each picture represented something I wanted to achieve in life. A cheque with my name on it, a graduation gown, and even an arbitrary item of clothing or two amongst others. My chart was press-sticked to a wall in my bedroom, where I would see it every day. Some days I stopped to look at it, other days I didn’t but always it was there, in the back of my subconscious mind. It wasn’t long before I’d ticked off every item on my chart and started on a new one.

I remember one day, that I decided it was time to get my own vehicle. I grabbed the nearest magazine and cut out the first picture I found of a car, without much thought to specifications. It just happened to be a white VW Chicco. I never imagined that the universe would be so specific in granting my wish. Lo and behold, my first car was a white VW Chicco.

Since then, I’ve become more selective about the pictures and words I put on my dream chart. There have been many dream charts on the walls of the few houses I’ve lived in so far and even as I write this, I’m preparing for a new one. So many of the pictures I put up seemed so unattainable then, and yet they are ticked. Perhaps my only problem is not dreaming big enough.

So as I put up my new chart with book no 2 and 3 of the Maor series on, I want to challenge and invite every one of you to make a start on your own dream chart. Stop making excuses and take the plunge. Put it out there, dream big and you’ll be amazed at the universe’s response!