DZ-Jay's Random Blog

Do you know about Pippi Longstocking? She came to be when Astrid Lindgren's child was home sick and he asked his mother to tell him a story. From what I understand it was pretty much improvised from the start, and not until a bit later she wrote down what she had told him in bed.

 

I'm not saying it is a bad idea to write down the story first, just that you might have the option to do it the other way around too - tell your grandchildren an improvised story based on what's in your head, and then fine adjust it when you write it down. Nowadays you can even cheaply record yourself to have notes on exactly how you told the story.

Do you know about Pippi Longstocking? She came to be when Astrid Lindgren's child was home sick and he asked his mother to tell him a story. From what I understand it was pretty much improvised from the start, and not until a bit later she wrote down what she had told him in bed.

 

I'm not saying it is a bad idea to write down the story first, just that you might have the option to do it the other way around too - tell your grandchildren an improvised story based on what's in your head, and then fine adjust it when you write it down. Nowadays you can even cheaply record yourself to have notes on exactly how you told the story.

 

That's interesting about Pippi Longstocking. I am familiar with the TV shows from when I was a kid, but did not know the story of the author.

 

The idea of improvising the story as a bedtime tale had occurred to me (indeed, my wife was asking me to do that as well). I just always chickened out in the end, and just read a regular story.

 

I should try it, though. Thanks.

 

-dZ.

Small correction: it was her daughter sick in pneumonia, and it took 3 years (another great procrastinator!) for Astrid to write down the story after it had been told. The first publisher refused her manuscript, the second accepted it and made great money for years to come. (A bit like when Decca turned down The Beatles)