I’ve already sent in my submission, so today I’ll just talk about writing insecurities.
I pulled back last month to write more, and of course received a ton of formatting jobs instead.
Which means I am still working on story number three of this book. And I ended up having to do a lot more planning than anticipated. This one is about the ghost, and the back story needed some work to make it plausible. I’ve worked out the kinks, but I realized that the back story had to take place a little further in the past. Which means I’ll have to adjust what I’ve already written and set it back a little further, too. (The other two stories are also set in different times, so it will fit.)
The greatest challenge with writing all four stories is that, like all of my stories, they were each inspired by a dream. (And we all know how much sense dreams make!)
Does anyone else have that same challenge? Making a dream story into a real story?
44 comments:
I love stories inspired by dreams. Our unconscious minds can come up with the strangest stuff!
I don't remember my dreams enough to have that problem. Even though you didn't get as much time to write, awesome that you got those jobs last month.
I don't think I've ever written a story inspired by a dream, but I have had dreams about my current manuscript that have influenced my writing. I couldn't figure a certain part out, had a dream about it that made no sense, but then realized I could turn it into a kind of plot twist. So I guess you should never discredit a crazy dream!
I'm going to concur with Sarah. Don't think I've ever been inspired through a dream. Sounds great, though! I'll take it.
Hi Diane .. can't say I have dreams that inspire me to write ... but how fortunate to have 4 going at once - it must help, yet hinder at times .. but essential you're writing and drafting ...
Cheers Hilary
Lynda, you got that right.
Natalie, I used to write them down right after waking. Thus, I have hundreds of ideas now.
Sarah, you can't.
Hilary, and they are all at different stages, too.
Dream inspired stories are always fun. Congratulations on the one year anniversary of IWSG.
I've had dreams that inspired an idea, but I've never followed through with any of them.
I wish I dreamed good ideas.
Yes, I have written several short stories based on dreams. The dreams come in fragments, or maybe I just can't remember the whole thing, so the tough part is writing a coherent narrative from a few images. It's fun though. I wish I'd have more dreams that could become stories.
A lot of my stories are inspired by dreams, too. They are the best at creating story ideas, but we do have to do a lot of thinking to give that dream life. Often we don't know how a dream begins, so that's the hardest part for me, creating a beginning that makes sense.
I agree with Lynda - our subconsciouses are awesome (if often mystifying) muses.
I've never tried to turn a dream into a story though I know many writers do. I seldom remember my dreams at all.
Some of mine are inspired by day-dreaming. It seems I don't need to be asleep to dream. LOL. Used to drive my mother nuts. Especially when I was suppose to be washing or drying the dishes. LOL. Anyway, that's off topic a bit so I better leave now and visit more posts. Have a super great day!
My dreams influence a lot of my stories. It's up to my waking mind to make sense of them! :)
Dreams are amazing, surreal, and super hard to get onto paper! I have a few stories inspired by them, but I haven't pursued them to novel length because they keep slipping through my fingers.
I'm impressed that you can get your dreams onto the page!
Tamara, you know what I'm facing then.
Chrys, of the four, I dreamed two endings, one beginning, and one in the middle, so I'm all over the map.
Christine, I'm trying to make sense right now!
Dream stories make great inspirations. I've definitely used them in my writing. Great post!
I don't remember my dreams, so that's a nope from me. but I think it's cool that your brain would do the initial plotting for you while sleeping. Talk about time management!
I rarely remember my dreams and they're usually about stress, so would make terrible stories. My half asleep thoughts are much better.
Hope you find the time to get the stories done.
I love stories inspired by dreams, but have only used bits of dreams in some of my stories... Glad you're getting the kinks worked out!
Hi, L. Diane.
I wrote my second novel based on a dream I had.... A far cry from what it first set out to be.
Dreams give a writer amazing inspiration. Good luck on your stories!
I love stories inspired by dreams BECAUSE the dreams make no sense. It makes it more interesting that way, trying to figure out what's going on. Have fun writing. Ghost stories are awesome :)
Diane,I love it that you are inspired by dreams. I find that symbolism in dreams can make a lot of sense!
Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you will use some of your photos to create a coffee table book!
I've had and continue to have this problem. Many of my stories, not all, come to me in dreams where, even though weird, seem to make sense. Then I try to write them out and things get jumbled. Keep at it. It seems like you're on the right path to making your story what you really want it to be.
Stories from dreams! I've never tried that. Not that my dreams make much of a sense either. Well, just a couple of them so many years ago. Mmmm, I think you might have just gave me an idea for a new project. Thanks!
Ava, I'm always so crunched for time, so I have to take advantage of it.
JE, interesting or frustrating.
Mary, I've created a couple photo books, but an actual book with photos and text would be wonderful.
Thanks, Toinette.
I typically don't write in the erotica genre, so I don't keep track of my dreams! (LOL) Don't think I've had dream inspired stories. My mind wanders so much during my waking time that I've got more than I can keep up with.
Hi L Diane,
What a coincidence--my WIP was also inspired by a dream. That's the first time I'm writing a novel from a dream, though. I love how our mind comes up with fantastic ideas around the time of sleep. I look forward to reading your submission in the anthology.
My dreams are never cool enough to turn into stories. :(
I've never made a dream story, but wow, how cool that must be. :D
I converted a dream into a book over a decade ago with disastrous results, but then again my writing needed a lot of work. I sometimes write my dreams down, but ideas fall under speculative fiction or some other genres I'm not familiar with, so I don't write them.
I get the best ideas when I dream, but sometimes they are hard to make real. :)
I'm having a hard time with moving forward on my WIP. Trying to figure out why. Grr...
I tried that once, using a dream as the basis of a story, but it didn't work out very well. I'm waiting to have a super fascinating dream to try it again.
I don't remember enough of my dreams to write a story. However, once I had this dream that I was writing, the story was flowing, I loved the story, and just as I was starting to write the ending I woke up. I was so mad I couldn't remember what I was dream-writing.
The first novel I wrote was inspired by a dream. It took me quite awhile to figure out how to form that story from what was essentially one scene. Good luck!
I love dream inspiration. In fact, I could use some.
I have a few stories I'd like to write that were inspired by dreams, but I haven't gotten to them yet.
And doesn't that always seem to be the case: you plan to write but something comes up to cut into that time.
I'm doing battle with the same issue. I have to take some of the backstory farther into the past. Simple, right? But you know how many things change when you do that.
I've written down many dreams with intent of maybe turning them into stories. A few I have actually written stories based on those dreams.
Lee
Tossing It Out
I can hardly believe it's been 3 years for the insecure writer's. Those are my favorite posts to read every month. I've never turned a dream into a story, except I have amazing dreams that are like stories and make it very difficult to wake up!
Sadly, I 'm one of those people who can rarely remember my dreams. They've very clear as I'm waking up but when I try to capture them...poof. I wonder what stories I'm missing.
I write from dreams too -- always cool to see the new directions they take once we start drafting.
I've worked on a few stories based on dreams I had, but they don't seem to go anywhere after awhile.
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