Art, writing and the stories creative people make in their heads

Reading about Grayson Perry growing up was a delight (Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl). It's a very honest, if sometimes heartbreaking story. But there is also humour. There was something here that resonated with me as a writer. The way he acted out scenes with his teddy bear, Alan Measles reminded me that I often acted out things in my head - stories, well, one really. This one has never been written down and never will be (it wasn't that kind of story). But I did invent a whole family, their loves, their trials and all of it was acted out in my head. I never intended to write it but it did play a big part in my life as it was ongoing and returned to, often daily, as each brother (there were three) struggled in life. The eldest was the sensible one with a family, the second brother was the off the rails one, but I can't remember about the third one. True to later form, it was the off the rails brother I liked most!

I do remember that at one time the middle brother took off in a one of those motor homes and parked in various places. This might have been taken from my desire to travel and have no ties, and I did have a thing about motor homes!

I never considered this inventing abnormal. And now I use this is form to write. I often act scenes out in my head like a film before I write. Unfortunately this often happens at night when I'm trying to sleep, so I either have to get up to write or try and memorise it and write the next morning. Actually I'm quite good at that, memorisng, but it does mess with my sleep.

Grayson Perry had a hard life growing up - his mother had an affair with the milkman and his father left. Grayson was around four then. Grayson's stepfather was often violently abusive, and he used this other world, and to some extent his need to dress up, as a comfort. I learned a lot about fetish, bondage and fantasy!

I can't say my childhood was anything like Grayson's. I had a stable home life, if somewhat sheltered, but I suppose these scenes I acted out was my way of living in other worlds, in other people's lives, and in some way, was my own outlet from the life I felt was restricted. In stories you can do what the heck you like and there are no personal consequences. Ones past does influence the present and future, including writing. Most writers will admit that there is part of them in everything they write. I'd agree. Grayson Perry used his art to unleash his feelings, and still does. I'd recommend this book. It's a short read, but good.

Having read two books about Grayson Perry now (he fascinates me), I feel I understand him much more.