Dreams & Musings on Dreams

It seems like everyone I know is writing a novel or hoping to write one someday.

What is it about writing a novel that inspires so many people to set it as a goal? How many of the people who dream of publishing a novel actually succeed?

I don't know many people who've set out to make their own films or produce their own CDs. Similarly, I don't know many people who have the goal of creating their own gallery showcase of art or putting up a public installation.

Perhaps it's that words are readily available to (almost) everyone. We all have stories; we all have experiences that others do not share. Photography is a similar undertaking. Nowadays I see more and more people with no formal photography training create photography careers for themselves with the raw materials (their natural surroundings) already available to them. With a good eye for aesthetics and composition, many laypeople can pick up the techniques as they go.

I love (and appreciate) the ability to wake up someone's imagination and take him to unknown territories, but this is one of those days when I wish I were skilled in something a little more rare and visual (e.g., filmmaking, art) or lucrative (e.g., mathematics, business).

Nevertheless, I am still a firm believer in hard work being the foundation to making a dream come true. If you want something deeply enough, you may achieve it with determination and perseverance.

Fill 2013 with your dreams!

Ren D.