Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Wicked Wednesday - dream inspiration

(My author picture processed through the Google Deep Dream Generator.)

A lot of my inspiration for stories comes from dreams. And I don't mean the Google Deep Dream Generator there. Though, I hear a lot of people saying those pictures are causing nightmares. I just think it's fascinating.

I'm a vivid dreamer. I dream in full color and I know I'm dreaming. I can change my actions and wake up if I want. Yet I usually go with the flow and see what happens.

Lately I've been having more disturbing dreams than usual. Ones where I'm finding myself in dire circumstances and faced with immense decisions. Most of the time, these are supernatural situations.
 
My life has had big changes lately. My son started kindergarten and I'm getting a chance at being a full time writer. It's a lot of pressure. And it seems my subconscious agrees by giving me all these intense dreams.

Of course, as an author, my first thought is: how do I use this in my writing? Dreams help us see things differently. The everyday world can become mundane, but things become more wonderful, silly, and/or frightening in dreams. They can change our perspective and that might be just what your muse needs if stuck on a story or in need of an idea for a new one.

I don't keep a dream journal. I remember my dreams most of the time, but it's a good idea to scribble down even a few things you recall from your dreams as prompts or ideas for later.

Do you find inspiration in your dreams?

18 comments:

  1. Freaky image.
    Half the time I don't remember my dreams. When I do, they are either weird or boring. If you're having wild dreams, maybe you should turn them into stories.

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  2. My dreams are never really that interesting, but every once in a while I get a good story idea from them. I'd say definitely turn any good dream ideas into stories. We should take inspiration wherever we can get it.

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  3. Gah! That image freaked me out! lol. I don't remember my dreams. It's extremely rare for me to wake up remembering one. I can probably count on 1 hand the number of dreams I remember from my entire life.

    Kindergarten is an exciting time. Take advantage of your new time! Enjoy!!

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  4. That picture is trippy! I have to try that with my author photo! ;)

    I also know that I'm dreaming and can even force a dream to go how I want it too. That's why many of my stories were inspired by dreams as well. :) But I have also used things I struggled through or experienced in my past in my stories too. I love doing both! :)

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  5. Some of my story ideas come from dreams. I usually have really intense/weird dreams. I sometimes like to sit in the morning and piece together what from the other day caused the dreams. Sometimes, it's my subconscious even working on story ideas while I sleep, haha

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  6. I don't often remember my dreams, and the ones I do, I'm often running and hiding. And they all take place in my childhood home. Hmmm. Not much interesting there. I think that you have such control over your dreams is cool. Have fun writing! And yay for Kindergarten!

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  7. Alex, my dreams are usually the paranormal type, so they are perfect for my stories. :)

    Sarah, definitely!

    Mac, it is a little freaky.

    Ava, I'm definitely taking advantage! :)

    Chrys, yes, me too. We write what we know.

    Madilyn, our subconsciouses can be helpful sometimes!

    Loni, I'm still cheering kindergarten!

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  8. I've been having a lot of dreams, too. It's interesting to try to figure out what dreams might mean.

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  9. My dreams are usually filled with stress and haunted houses. Shrug.

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  10. I dream very vividly (and you've seen me recount them on my personal blog), but I can't think of a single time I've used any of my dreams as a foundation for my writing. The two feel very different and separate to me.

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  11. Sounds like most of your dreams a lucid dreams. And that image at the top is going to give me nightmares. It's like there's eyes all over your face.

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  12. Quite often I remember not a SECOND of my dreams. Every now and then I will, though! I left my job to write full-time back in 2013 and I STILL have dreams I'm back there. Not sure why! Most of the time these days if I have a dream about it, it's my last day and I still haven't turned in my resignation. I don't know why on Earth I'd stress about that!

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  13. I do use my dreams as concepts for some of my books sometimes. :-)

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  14. Half the time, I don't remember dreaming, but when I do, it usually relates (in a weird, skewed way) to some problem I'm trying to work out in real life.

    Pressure is right! I have so much I want and need to do, I sat there paralyzed for the first two days the kids were in school, not being able to decide what to do first. LOL

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  15. Yes very much, and I use them in my writing. Love them, especially the nightmares, even if I can't go back to sleep. Then it's time to get up and write. late night writing is the best - although I say that about early mornings too. I'll take whatever I can get and use it! No day is the same!

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  16. That is so awesome that you know you're dreaming and can kind of control it... My dreams have a mind of their own and just go off. I have scary ones - usually with zombies chasing me - when I am stressed.

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  17. Sherry, I like trying to analyze them as well.

    Mary, I always have haunted houses in my dreams. Houses are a representation of our selves, after all!

    M, you have immensely interesting dreams, but I can see why they aren't in your stories.

    Patricia, and dogs in my hair! The new toy dog accessory. No longer does it have to live in your purse! *LOL*

    Stephanie, I used to dream about being in school for several years after I graduated, but nowadays, I have mommy stress dreams!

    Misha, cool!

    Melissa, I did that too. It was weird to have a quiet house and now I don't think I have enough time! *LOL*

    Yolanda, awesome!

    Tania, zombie dreams. Yikes!

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