Dream Writing

In the past, I have set up my own brainstorming sessions to come up with story ideas. As hard as I’ve tried, they often pass by unproductive. It’s usually the ideas that come to me when I’m not specifically thinking about it that I use for writing. One of my favorite sources of writing ideas is with my own dreams.

Some people try to interpret their dreams to try and understand if it means something in their lives. Others assume their dreams are just their own thoughts; what they are thinking about last before they fall asleep. I think it might just be a little bit of both, but, really, that’s not what concerns me when I think about my dreams.

When I wake up in the morning from a long dream, my first thought is to recall as much of it as I can and then ask myself, “Would this make a good story?” or “How can I use this in my writing?”

Dreams may or may not have a purpose for an average person, but for a writer, it can prove to be a goldmine. As a writer, you may find a dream so interesting or perplexing that you want to turn it into a story or even an entire novel. It might be the perfect twist to your current projects plot, it could create a new character or setting, or maybe it will give you a whole new writing perspective.

Next time you go to sleep, put a pen and notebook on your nightstand. When you wake up, if you can remember your dream, write it down in as much detail as possible. Keep a notebook with you throughout the day, too. Sometimes a person or event can trigger your dream again and cause you to remember a dream that you hadn’t remembered when you woke up in the morning.

Next time you’re at a loss for an idea, flip through your dream notebook. You just might find what you were looking for.

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