Is it fantasy with just dreams/visions?

[Tuxedo Mark]

I'm currently writing a novel. In it, there's nothing obviously fantastical that occurs in the waking world. However, three of the characters have dreams (visions?) that influence their actions in the waking world. Their dreams are fairly similar to each other's, and, if they weren't supernatural in origin, it'd be a pretty big coincidence (although a rationalization will be offered than one girl's recounting of her dream influenced the next girl's dream and so on).

Would it be fair to call this fantasy (since that's what I otherwise write), or would it be general fiction?

 

[Feo Takahari]

Magical Realism, maybe?

 

[Jabrosky]

I'm currently writing a novel. In it, there's nothing obviously fantastical that occurs in the waking world. However, three of the characters have dreams (visions?) that influence their actions in the waking world. Their dreams are fairly similar to each other's, and, if they weren't supernatural in origin, it'd be a pretty big coincidence (although a rationalization will be offered than one girl's recounting of her dream influenced the next girl's dream and so on).

Would it be fair to call this fantasy (since that's what I otherwise write), or would it be general fiction?

Reminds me of a certain Adam Sandler movie, except he had bedtime stories instead of dreams doing the trick. Still one of his less terrible efforts in my opinion.

 

[Caged Maiden]

I think the best thing would be to finish it, edit it, and then decide how to classify it IF you are self-publishing. If you're planning to submit it to an agent, they'll select how best to market the work. You might want to submit to agents who represent similar stories.

 

[buyjupiter]

From your description, it sounds almost like Tad Williams Otherland (which is categorized as SF, but honestly? Other than the use of VR, it isn't really SF). Otherland had a fairly dream-like feel to it, and I'd classify it as spec fic (the overarching umbrella that both SF and Fantasy fall underneath). The real world stuff in that wasn't very fantastical, but the stuff inside the VR definitely was fantastical.

 

[Terry Greer]

If the cause of the dreams is scientific - its SF
If the cause is supernatural - it's fantasy (or possibly horror depending on the nature of it - e.g. The Dead Zone)

If the cause is something else - and unexplained (and especially if ity contains other fantastic elements) - then it's (probably) fantasy - even if it occurs in a contemporary setting.

Otherwise ?

 

[WooHooMan]

I assume the dreams are a narrative device? Like a thing to get the plot going. If that's the case, it's not really fantasy - at least, not in the fantasy genre. At most, it'd be an element of magical realism (like Feo said).

If the dreams were a setting distinct from the "waking world", then I think it could be considered fantasy.

That's the way I see it.

 

[God-Of-Toasters]

I'd say it would be fantasy if the dreams have major effects on the world. Heck, I consider real life to be an extremely low fantasy, with dreams being the most fantastical element. How are dreams used per se?