{"id":5403,"date":"2023-05-18T20:50:25","date_gmt":"2023-05-18T19:50:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.novlr.org\/?post_type=writing_tips&#038;p=5403"},"modified":"2023-05-18T20:50:26","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T19:50:26","slug":"how-to-write-a-dream-sequence","status":"publish","type":"writing_tips","link":"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/writing_tips\/how-to-write-a-dream-sequence\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Write A Dream Sequence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Dream sequences allow writers to tap into the mysterious and sometimes bizarre world of dreams, exploring the subconscious and integrating symbolism and metaphor into their storytelling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dreams can reveal a character&#8217;s deepest fears, desires, and motivations in ways that may not be immediately obvious in the waking world. To write a dream sequence can be challenging, but it&#8217;s also an opportunity to let your imagination run wild, bringing your characters and stories to life in powerful and unforgettable ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What makes a good dream sequence?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dream sequences should mimic actual dreams: chaotic, disorienting, yet meaningful. Readers should experience the same confusion and vividness they would in their own dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good dream sequence should give insight into <a href=\"https:\/\/novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/a-foolproof-character-cheat-sheet-with-downloadable-template\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a character&#8217;s inner world<\/a> while also advancing the story. To achieve this, it&#8217;s important to strike a balance between the logical structure of the narrative and the illogical nature of dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Vivid imagery<\/strong>: Dreams are often hyper-real, so the more vivid your descriptions, the more captivating and immersive the dream becomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sensory details<\/strong>: In dreams, senses are often heightened, and evoking the senses can both enhance and subvert expectations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Symbolism<\/strong>: Everything has meaning in dreams. Dream sequences use symbols to foreshadow, hint, and reinforce.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Emotion<\/strong>: Using emotion in dream sequences allows characters to explore their heightened state, and expose their feelings on events.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Confusion<\/strong>: Dreams can be illogical and disjointed. By disorienting both your characters and readers, you can explore new narrative avenues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Representation of desires or fears<\/strong>: Dreams often reflect our subconscious thoughts and emotions, and the images and events in the dream can reveal important information about the character&#8217;s inner world.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull novlr-cta has-text-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"color:#000000;background-color:#f8f9fc\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"778\" height=\"194\" data-src=\"http:\/\/wp.novlr.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/combined-1-1.png\" alt=\"Novlr logo\" class=\"wp-image-5163 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 778px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 778\/194;width:150px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/combined-1-1.png 778w, https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/combined-1-1-300x75.png 300w, https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/combined-1-1-768x192.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 778px) 100vw, 778px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"schedule-a-visit\" style=\"font-size:22px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;line-height:1.15\"><strong>Write more, write better, and achieve your goals with Novlr!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-499968f5 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-25\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/novlr.org\/signup\" style=\"border-radius:50px;color:#ffffff;background-color:#212638;font-size:15px\">Sign up. It&#8217;s free!<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Types of dream sequences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several different types of dream sequences that you can use in your writing. Each type serves a different purpose and can be used to convey different information about your characters and their inner worlds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Foreshadowing<\/strong>: Dreams that set up or hint at future events in the narrative.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Nightmares<\/strong>: Dreams that evoke fear or anxiety in the dreamer and can reveal their deepest fears.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lucid dreams<\/strong>: Dreams where the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming and can control what happens.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fantasy dreams<\/strong>: Dreams that involve fantastical elements, such as talking animals or magical powers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Recurring dreams<\/strong>: Dreams that happen over and over again and may represent unresolved issues in the dreamer&#8217;s life.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Realisation dreams<\/strong>: Where something \u201cclicks\u201d for a character that they couldn\u2019t figure out while awake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Internal conflict<\/strong>: Dreams that give a colourful illustration of a character\u2019s inner turmoil, letting the writer show, not tell.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Linked dreams<\/strong>: Dreams that allow two characters to communicate while asleep through a shared connection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quick tips to write a dream sequence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dream sequences can add a unique and captivating element to any story, but they can be difficult to write. To ensure that your dream sequences are engaging, there are three things to keep in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Firstly, <strong>apply logic<\/strong>, but remember that the dream needs to function as a scene and needs some sort of narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Secondly, use <strong>narrative distance<\/strong> to create a floaty, dreamlike feel that makes your readers feel they&#8217;re dreaming too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, <strong>use detail<\/strong> to create a certain atmosphere, either vague and eerie or overcrowded and stressful. Take care not to overdo it and make your readers uneasy to the point of wanting to walk away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-text-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"color:#000000;background-color:#f8f9fc\">\n<div style=\"height:64px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"http:\/\/wp.novlr.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/combined-1-1.png\" alt=\"Novlr logo\" class=\"wp-image-5163 lazyload\" width=\"150\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/combined-1-1.png 778w, https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/combined-1-1-300x75.png 300w, https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/combined-1-1-768x192.png 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 778px) 100vw, 778px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"schedule-a-visit\" style=\"font-size:49px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400;line-height:1.15\"><strong>Ready to achieve your writing goals? Join Novlr today.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-499968f5 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/novlr.org\/signup\" style=\"border-radius:50px;color:#ffffff;background-color:#212638\">Sign up. It&#8217;s free!<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:64px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":5404,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"class_list":["post-5403","writing_tips","type-writing_tips","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How To Write A Dream Sequence | The Novlr Reading Room<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn to write a dream sequence and bring your characters and stories to life in powerful and unforgettable ways.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How To Write A Dream Sequence | The Novlr Reading Room\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn to write a dream sequence and bring your characters and stories to life in powerful and unforgettable ways.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/writing_tips\/how-to-write-a-dream-sequence\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Novlr Reading Room\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/novlr\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-05-18T19:50:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Frame-28-1024x664.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"664\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@novlrtweets\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/writing_tips\\\/how-to-write-a-dream-sequence\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/writing_tips\\\/how-to-write-a-dream-sequence\\\/\",\"name\":\"How To Write A Dream Sequence | The Novlr Reading Room\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/writing_tips\\\/how-to-write-a-dream-sequence\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/writing_tips\\\/how-to-write-a-dream-sequence\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/Frame-28.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-18T19:50:25+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-05-18T19:50:26+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn to write a dream sequence and bring your characters and stories to life in powerful and unforgettable ways.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/writing_tips\\\/how-to-write-a-dream-sequence\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/writing_tips\\\/how-to-write-a-dream-sequence\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/writing_tips\\\/how-to-write-a-dream-sequence\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/Frame-28.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/Frame-28.png\",\"width\":2106,\"height\":1366,\"caption\":\"Write a dream sequence - 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