Writing Dream Sequences

Im finding it very difficult to write dream sequences - so that they are odd enough that they are interesting and crazy as a dream, but that the reader is still unsure about whether it's a dream or not.

Any tips on how to write a convincing, yet unusual and crazy dream sequence?

You kind of miss out everything but that the MC is focusing on, and then even describe that only vaguely. If you have a certain object that is of some importance, then have that the last thing before she/he wakes up, or you could describe it vividly, and have her think that it's strange.
We can't really help you here unless you tell us more about the dream, then we can give you better pointers.
Eg:
The dream involves a sheep being killed by a fox, then the farmer (MC) coming out and being bitten by the fox. Main focus: Sting of the bite.

The nose awoke me from my slumber. (It's always confusing for the reader if you wake up at the start of a dream, so i would suggest not using this beginning. However, it's just a quick example) It sounded familiar, like I should recognize the rough tone, but I couldn't. My eyes opened and I was immediately startled at how dark the room was. And cold.
The noise sounded again, and I walked through the dark, empty house. It felt like a carnival ride; I was waiting for something to pop out in front of me. I seemed to move slower than I should - each step took only a few inches off the distance to the door.
I should have stopped. I should have gone back to bed.
But the barking was coaxing me on, pulling me towards the fields. As I walked outside I didn't bother to grab a flashlight, but I should have.
Somehow it was just as cold as it was inside the house, (temperatures, physical feelings and smells should never change. Sometimes sounds, too, because they often reflect on what the MC is actually experiencing in their bed)but it was darker. I stumbled through the long grass until I reached a fence. It was too dark to carry on. I couldn't even see my hands. I was suddenly terrified. I tried to turn back to the house but my feet kicked at something. My flashlight.
I turned it on, and the whole world exploded with color and light. I still felt a chilling tone the underlay the barking.
And then I was at the field. There was a wolf, a sheep and a lot of blood. Blood was everywhere. I waved my hands at the wolf, trying to scare it away. It didn't even notice.
I ran towards it, yelling and arms flailing. It turned and looked at me. Somewhere along the curse of my run I dropped the flashlight, and everything went pitch black.
I heard a snarl, different to the barking of before.
I stopped running, fell back and writhed in the grass as something bit me in my left hand.

I sat up, breathing heavily and sweating more than a night's sleep should allow. The room was dark, I couldn't see much. I heard a squeak, and then I remembered the dream. It was silly, of curse, but I flicked on the light to look at my hand.
There was a bite. Not as big as a wolf bite, but it stung. It had punched my flesh between my thumb and pointer finger.

I couldn't sleep.

The next morning, I was missing a sheep. The next morning, that sheep's paddock was covered in blood. The next morning, everything changed. Forever.


Okay, yes, I know that was lame. But I put some basic elements of a dream in there, including the waking up and your dream and something from the dream really happened (even if it was just a mouse biting you)

Anyways, I hope I was of help!

Here's the thing you have to realize - nothing annoys readers more than dream sequences. Throw one in if you absolutely have to, but if you can avoid it, don't.

That said, if you put a dream sequence in your story, please please please have it actually be relevant to the story and, you know, make sense. I hate those stories where authors randomly throw in dreams that have nothing to do with the plot line.


~ Maggie

I know what you mean lol - but the dreams are really pivotal. Obviously there aren't annoyingly loads.
And thanks for the example asxz

I'm not going to delve into it just yet, until I actually write it and know what's happening myself with it

But thanks

I wrote this article for Squills, which is the YWS Webzine! It's currently down, due to remodeling, but fortunately, I had the article saved to my computer! So yay!


Playing with Dreams

I love dreams. Not having them, mind you. For some reason, whenever I remember my dreams, I am more tired than ever. No, I am talking about dream sequences in fiction. A well-written dream sequence, in my ever-humble opinion, is one of the loveliest things in existence. Why? Because dreams are so fantastic. Your subconscious mind opens up and some of the scariest, loveliest, weirdest images come out and play.

For instance, I once had this weird dream involving YWS. Basically, Nate decided that he was going to introduce snakes to Hawaii. Crysi loved the idea. She loved the fact that snakes are going to be slithering around all of Hawaii, plus the fact that she got to catch some rays. Mesh hated it. She thought that introducing snakes to Hawaii would be stupid, plus it would start a war. As for me? I thought it was stupid. Anyway, there happened to be a deep tunnel that runs from California to Hawaii. Nate’s plan? He was going to turn into a snake and lead all the little snakes after him. At first I was skeptical, but then, to my amazement, he turned into a giant green snake! Mesh and I tried to stop the devastation before it occurred, but fortunately, Mesh had control of Nate while he was in snake form. The problem? We have to go to Hawaii. Unfortunately, while we're there, Mesh and Crysi fell in love with this hot guy. Fortunately, they quickly solved it by having Nate, in snake form, eat him up.

Weird? Yes. Frightening? Yes. Funny? Oh my gosh, yes.

Strangely enough, many dreams in fiction, are some of the driest things I have ever read. Most of the time, you’ll encounter dreams that seem strangely real. That is, nothing bizarre or surreal is happening. It’s told in the same style as the rest of the story, typically about a foreshadowing or something that is supposed to “mean” something to the rest of the story.

The problem?

It’s boring.

First of all, there is no rule set in stone that says that all dreams must be a foreshadowing. Really. So if you are going to have a dark, mysterious person come to the main character repeatedly in dreams, presenting him with mystical knowledge of the past, most likely I am going to snore through your story. Or, if all your dreams are centered on this one prophecy that is told over and over again, then most likely, I will throw your story into my wall.

Second of all, there is no rule that characters cannot have any reactions to their dreams. It is hilarious when I see these fantastic dream sequences play out and then the main characters simply forget about their dreams until, of course, the next dream plays out and they can forget both dreams. Or, worst, they don’t “believe” in the “power of dreams” until the amazing climax where they magically remember everything and are able to defeat the evil dark lord, using their dreams as a knowledge base. Don’t do this. Please. I know that when I have nightmares, the first thing I do is make sure that, whatever I have a nightmare about is safe. So it’s preposterous to have the main character ignore dreams completely.

Also, you don’t have to put dreams in italics. Really, you don’t. You can, if you want, but there is no commandment that says, “Thou shalt not write dreams unless in italics.”

What you can do? Make your dreams more dreamlike. This means making it wild. Anything can happen, so why do dreams have to be so real all the time? Bend reality and show us worlds that we would have never guessed existed in your story. Go from past to future back to past and maybe even dabble in the present. Bring images and feelings and present it in a way that is different from the style of your story. If your story is nice and flowery, make your dreams stark, and likewise. Bring colors in the dreams that contrast. Have your main character fall through holes, get trapped, die. Make him experience life through a different viewpoint. In fact, I think it would be cool if the main character found himself, in his dreams, to be in the villain’s shoes.

There are so many possibilities for dreams that it is astounding how little emphasis is put on dreams. That’s what makes movies like “Paprika,” a movie about manipulation of dreams, so lovely. But you can do it too. It takes a little bit of work, but in the end, it is fun and it can develop your characters in ways that are rich and rewarding.

Happy writing!

Wow, Snoink, you said it all. ^^ Fantastic advice!