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Dream Sequences

CharlieDay

Scribe
Hello everyone, I noticed a recent thread regarding flashbacks on here, and there were many mixed feelings on this subject.

I am working on a long story in which my group of adventurers are somewhat led by one of their members who has recurring, strange dreams. These dreams are the driving force of their adventure and give slight hints as to future events (which is why I have only written one of them so far. I am trying to finish the story before I go back and write the rest of the dreams so as not to leave anything out). I will use these dream sequences very sparingly (once very 6 or 7 chapters), and when I use them they will be quite short (no more than 4 or 5 paragraphs). But throughout the process of writing my book i keep getting the nagging feeling that I will lose readers due to these sequences.

So my question is, what are your thoughts on dreams? Do you feel they are overdone or cheesy? Do you feel they are similar to flashbacks? Do you find them boring when reading them in a story?

As always, ANY feedback would be greatly appreciated.
 

Sparkie

Auror
A dream sequence or two works for me, as long as they are believable. If the dream is too detailed, I lose interest. If the dream is too long, I lose interest.

This is probably because my own dreams, when I remember them, are hazy and brief, like snippets of film out of focus.

In the movie 'Inception' (please tell me you've seen it), they point out that dreams 'feel real' when you're having them. I'd keep that in mind when writing your dream ideas.
 
My own feeling is that prophetic dreams are an end run around a believable plot. Character X dreams that Event A will happen in Place G, therefore everyone has to go to Place G, which inevitably sparks Event A. If Place G and Event A are shrouded in mystery, it only means the writer hasn't settled on the details and/or is planning to jerk the reader around. It's no different from the "ancient prophecy" gag, which prophecy exists only to put characters in situations they would never voluntarily get themselves into, purely for the writer's purposes.

Put it another way. Could you get your character to go where he's going and do what he's doing without these dreams? If not, the dreams are the only thing driving the plot. The dreamer is being manipulated, and it's not much of a stretch to believe that the reader will feel manipulated as well.

As always, though, the quality of your work comes mainly from execution, not from plotting. If you can use the idea of dream sequences well, or if you subvert it in some way, readers may forgive you for using a cliche.

I'm sorry if anyone's offended, but I myself would rather have an honest opinion that helps me improve my craft than an agreeable non-answer.
 

DameiThiessen

Minstrel
As long as I can tell it's a dream, and it adds to the plot or character development, I like them. I especially enjoy them if they reveal something about the character's subconscious. :)
 

Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
I don't care for dream sequences, as a rule, for the same reasons I don't care for flashbacks. They pull the reader out of the story and tend to be handled rather poorly. That said, as with flashbacks, dream sequences can be used effectively. I'd use them sparingly.
 

Telcontar

Staff
Moderator
I especially enjoy them if they reveal something about the character's subconscious. :)

This. I use them from time to time, but I try and keep it to character development purposes. I have a certain character who is very much the reserved type, but it is necessary for the reader to learn a couple things about him to understand him. However, he would never say these things aloud. Presto plotpoint, the reader gets the info through a dream the character has.

I would applaud those who are wary of this device, though, especially for the reasons ShortHair mentioned.
 

CharlieDay

Scribe
Thank you for all the advice, no offense taken shorthair, I appreciate the feedback.

To clear some things up a bit, the dreams are bits of the character's past/personality with slight manipulations by his god. The character is basically a crusader (if i had to pick a character class). Though the readers do not realize this until much later in the story. The rest of the crusader's team could be considered borderline evil. He is unsure of himself leading these 3 outlaws (a grim fire wizard, an orphaned mercenary, and an insane brutal pit fighter) who all have their own respective helpful abilities crucial to the quest. The dreams are extremely vague and not overly helpful at all for this character. They basically keep the team travelling north, and give him reason to believe he must not abandon his team of outlaws.

Sometimes I read books and I am bored to death by overly long dream sequences. That is why in my story whenever this character dreams it is short and sweet, because I do not want to detract from the story. I just saw no other way to lead this team on their epic quest other than divine intervention, considering the main character is extremely devout. The dreams have very little impact on the story, and do not drive the plot itself. The story is made up of several seperate plot threads during this journey that all lead to the last several chapters, the last several chapters being the only chapters that have to do with the dreams.

I hope this helps you all with any further feedback you might have for me.
 

mirrorrorrim

Minstrel
I'm going to go against the grain and say that I think dreams can be as fine as any other plot mechanic. What will determine its quality is the skill with which the writer employs it.

Even though it's fantasy, it still needs to feel believable.

The first thing I think when I read your explanation is: why would the main character actually follow his dreams? The second is: why would anyone else follow them, especially if they're borderline evil? If you haven't dealt with that in depth, I think you need to, and it probably wouldn't hurt to revisit it at least once over the course of your story. Are these dreams a common gift? Do dreams hold a special significance in his religion? Is he rewarded for following a simple dream, or punished for not heeding a difficult one? Does his faith in what he's doing waver? Does he dare tell his companions about the dreams? If he does, how do they react? Do they desert him? Do they humor him? Do they try to dissuade him? If he doesn't tell them, then what effects does this attepted secrecy have? Does he pretend he has a special source, or a special map, that's leading him? Do the others find out he's lying? What do they do then?

If answered well, I feel any of these could expand into an interesting component of your story's plot, and justify the use of dreams. If you just ignore them all, though, I can promise I'm not the only reader who will have a hard time suspending his or her disbelief.
 

Terra Arkay

Minstrel
Dreams shall play an important role in my story too, my main characters experience very vivid, bizarre dreams that they struggle to distinguish from reality and fantasy.
 

Reaver

Staff
Moderator
I too believe that if dreams can be used effectively and sparingly, they can be incredibly powerful plot devices.
 

CharlieDay

Scribe
Thank you for the replies.

Mirrorrorrim, the questions you have laid out are actually very helpful to me, I am glad to have an outside perspective. I will pay closer attention to what you have said in an attempt at enhancing my story. I will now try to answer your questions based on what I have already written (about 25 chapters), but first I want to reiterate again that the story is split up into several seperate plots during the course of the adventure. The dreams have very little to nothing to do with these plots until the last few chapters of the story. So to answer those questions...

-The dreams are not a common gift nor do they hold special signifigance in his religion.

-From the start of the story it is understood that this character has been having these dreams in the past, and that he realizes they are signs from his god. He has no idea what his award will be for following them, but he has found out (the hard way) that if he does not follow a sign, it could bring him trouble.

-Throughout the story his faith waivers quite a bit. He constantly struggles with leading the team and whether or not he should be driving them northwards to whatever unknown fate, among many other inner struggles.

-Regarding his companions...they are all driven by entirely different motivations. The MC is driven by his god, the mercenary by wealth and fame, the wizard by power, and the pitfighter by the desire to kill. The wizard does not question the leader because with this team he realizes his power only grows stronger. The pit fighter does not question because he is firstly insane, and secondly is the MC's best friend since the days before he went insane. The mercenary on the other hand questions the MC quite often, and many arguments unfold between the two. But the mercenary hangs around because he has been promised a hefty payment upon a safe return.

-He does mention his dreams once to the mercenary, who writes it off as insane babble. Though later in the book the mercenary sees the MC's god bless him with power, and from that point, he follows the leader mostly without question.
 
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