Most of the time my dreams are about things that are currently going on in my life, and reasons I might have to worry about them—pretty much because I’m a worrier and I get anxious over things and sometimes tend to over think them—this also happens with my writing from time to time. There is very rarely anything for me to worry about but that doesn’t stop me from worrying all the same.
Every now and then though, I have a dream that is way out there and completely wacky, which is a pleasant change from the dreams mentioned above. These “oddity” dreams (as I call them) usually get jotted down in notebooks where I may or may not use them in a story one day. Sometimes I remember them in full and other times it’s just snippets of scenes running through my head, although as is usual with dreams, the pictures are always very vivid and as real as though I’d actually be there, which, technically in my dream, I was.
A few weeks ago, though, I dreamt about the characters in the novel I’m currently editing. This has never happened to me before and I was so stunned about the scene I’d dreamt that when I woke up I needed time to process it. You see, the scene I’d dreamt about with Ivy and her sisters was quite shocking and one of them does something that I did not think her capable of. It wasn’t a scene from the novel but it needed to be. It was a realisation that was so exciting that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since. It has caused me to have to partially rework the first three chapters and has also caused a minor change to the ending but the work involved in doing that doesn’t even make me want to groan and tear out my hair, because I am so bloody excited about this opening scene that I’ve now got it down on paper and am working through the opening chapters, making small changes, marvelling that it actually came to me in a dream.
6 comments:
I've had that happen, holy crap! It's the weirdest, awesomest thing! The only problem is that when it's particularly fucked up, it clings to you, and you just can't shake it even when it'd be more convenient to stop thinking of this morbid shit...
But so, so worth it, for the book. (What isn't, really?)
Ever have one where you WERE one of your characters? I get those sometimes and it freaks me out for days after.
Hurrah!
Katey, I've never had it happen that I was one of my characters. In some respects it would be fun, but mostly it would freak me out too.
Thanks, Nat :)
Nice.
My dreams tend to be nonsense about running track and field events in the buff. Not much story fodder there.
At least not the stories I write.
;)
I've heard that the sub-conscious works on stories while you're thinking of other things (or sleeping). Cool to see it in action. What I DON'T want to see in action is Aaron running track and field events in the buff...
If you ever branch into another genre, Aaron. You never know...
Alan, I'd heard it before too but never had it happen. If only it did when I'm stuck with a story. What bliss to have the ending dreamed up and then wake to write it.
Post a Comment