Crafting in Dreams

In crafting a narrative dreams can be elemental for the author, the characters and even the premise of the tale.

In countless instances authors have cited dreams as the instrumental step in crafting their best work. The author assembles a narrative from the various scenes that have come to them while sleeping. The dreams come together as a road map with each of the scenes as pit-stops along the journey. An entire outline for a narrative born from nothing more than dreams.

Often when an author hits writer's block they turn to dreams as a method to combat their blockage. Every dream affording the writer a new component to a story. How many narratives are born of the restless imaginations of sleeping authors?

Dreams are not limited to the inspiration of writers to crafting narratives but dreams can also provide insight and even motivation for characters within the narrative. Dreams allow characters to embrace different aspects of their personalities that they many not show otherwise. Just as well characters can find motivation within their dreams. Characters can reason out elements to the narrative or even have an epiphany regarding the events so far.

Dreams can be utilized to develop characters and explore motivations or even desires however, the ability to influence plot remains one of the greatest uses of dreams in narrative. Characters can become delusional with waking dreams. Entire segments of the plot can be erased as nothing but dreams. Using dreams as a core element in a narrative can allow dramatic and unexpected changes within the tale. Much as Lewis Carrol explored the depths of philosophy through a dramatic and symbolic world a writer can twist the very world to suit the narrative.

Through dreams authors can free their imaginations from everyday conventions and craft wholly unique narratives. Whether its the sculpt of the plot or the manipulation of characters and worlds to convey the narrative, dreams will always remain the most powerful device in a writer's kit.