I dream a lot. Let me re-phrase that – I remember a lot of my dreams. Real, asleep type dreams, not inspiring-song-lyric type dreams.
A dream can easily involve a group of teenagers, a murderous teacher, a giant mountain-dwelling monster and a secret order of monks. They’re pretty hectic. Unfortunately, all the running around, fighting, jumping and so on often leave me more tired than before I go to sleep! It would be nice to have an off switch for these flights of fancy so I could get a decent nights kip.
On the other hand, as a writer, these dreams can have their advantages. They can be the creative’s inspirational friend. Without them, we’d have no Frankenstein, no ‘Yesterday’, no Kubla Khan (although certain substances assisted with the last one). Dreams are the projection we gawp at whilst our brain rewires itself behind the scenes. Our human desires shape these aborted thoughts into a legible, albeit twisted, narrative and lo – inspiration.
Like a lot of people, I keep a notepad next to the bed in case I wake up with the ghost of an idea. These hastily scribbled notes may not always be winners, but sometimes they can lead to more. Somewhere in my files lies a screenplay that emerged from an unnerving dream so vivid, I had to check I hadn’t been sleepwalking when I woke up.
How about you? Ever found inspiration in a dream? Let me know in the comments.
19/02/2013 at 8:32 PM
I remember my dreams enough of the time to find inspiration from them. I keep a notebook next to my bed and have been known to scribble something in it in the dark. It’s almost legible as well 🙂
The inspiration behind one of my WIPs was from a dream. Take inspiration where you can.