Dream Sequences / Memories

Hi teacup,
I'd sincerely recommend writing them as story rather than dream sequences, since they actually are story. How you fit them into the 'now' is up to you, but dream sequences don't generally suit that kind of telling.
By the way, I'm not someone who dislikes dream sequences if they're well done -- that is, atmospheric, inexorable, illogical (except in terms of undercurrent, which they can be completely on the money about) and somewhat mad.
Just my feeling, by all means do as you wish,
Jennie

 

Whether or not this works all depends on how you craft it.

Sometimes flashbacks read as info dumps -- the character is simply going through a checklist of what happened before, so the reader is caught up on the backstory. That's the sort of thing that makes me lose interest very quickly.

But I do think you could do some very interesting stuff with this idea, especially if you approach it as a way to reveal the inner workings of your character. For example, if you made the memories vivid -- visions, more than dreams, maybe even with sensory impressions and emotional highs/lows that drive home how very real the past still is for your main character (more real, perhaps, than the present?), that could be cool.

Also, I would avoid chronological order. Rather, try to have him encounter 'triggers' that yank him back into a particular memory. A melody, a certain flower, a scent on the wind -- that sort of thing. Think about what triggers your own memories, and see if you can make those or a similar ideas work for your character. You run the risk of making things confusing this way, but it would also be more authentic.

haha -- I think I may have just set up a challenge for you that I could not meet myself. Though I might try someday. Good luck!

 

My current project starts with the MC having a short dream, though it's mostly just forshadowing for the plot twist at the end of the chapter, which in turn establishes one of the major themes of the novel.

Later on she ends up in a spirit world that is kinda dream-like, but not actually a dream.

Over-all, I don't mind a dream scene as long as it's actually meaningful and doesn't feel redundant. If you just want to establish that your character has bad dreams, it's better to just write a paragraph going: "He slept poorly that night, plagued by horrible nightmares on this or that theme." If you actually write the whole thing down, though, there better be a point to it.

 

So, these dream sequences you're writing are actually memories of the character... Skylar if I remember correctly. Is there any particular reason you have to lay out these memories? As Anders said, if they're not important and redundant, it would be recommended to skip over it. But judging from the pieces you put on the Showcase, I think they are supposed to be meaningful, and they have action in them as well. They have to remain interesting and have some meaning or it will yank the reader out.

I would suggest that you place these dream sequences in intelligent areas, which from your earlier posts, it seems you have a good handle on.

You should make sure that the reader knows these are memories and keep reminding them lest they forget. As a reader, I don't want them to be meaningless dreams, and you should make sure that they know that is not the case. You did it well in your first chapter, at least to me, and you made sure it had some meaning to Skylar. So if you keep them consistent, I should have no problem as a reader, to, um, read them. Just don't make too many of them. And make sure they progress at a pace comfortable with the current plot too.

 

I use dreams near the beginning of the book, since the woman is unconscious; mostly to tell the reader what happened before the MC found her lying on the road and took her to town for help. He is of the opinion at first that she is helpless and needs help, but he soon learns differently, that he needs her help more than she needs his.

 

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Honey badger dont care!

 

I think dream sequences/flashbacks can be useful if they help inform the reader about the 'whys' of the present.

I'm currently using some scenes that flashback to help flesh out the MC and why she is who she is in the present. I tried to work this info into the story other ways, but it always read like an info dump. I'm finding it fits into the flow of the story better and makes the incidents feel more living and breathing than simply having a character tell another about an something that happened three years ago.

That being said, I use them sparingly (one every few chapters) and only when needed. I do realize that they can be jarring at times, but I believe where you place them in the story is a big factor. Properly paced and placed dream/flashback scenes can help minimize disruption.