Writing prompt #76: CAPTURING DREAMS

Hi Everyone,

It’s common wisdom in writing classes to steer students away from writing about dreams. They’re too easy, teachers will say, too distracting from the more concrete details of characters’ lives.

I believe, however, that a well-told dream has tremendous potential to reveal what’s preoccupying characters and/or what they may even be trying to hide from themselves. The key to writing a good dream sequence? It’s no different than writing a good realistic passage: the quality of its details.

YOUR PROMPT: Carefully chronicle a dream (or recurring dream) of one of your characters. Track it carefully in all its bizarre specificity. It doesn’t have to make conventional narrative sense but it should have its own interior logic. Most importantly, the details must be vivid, an opportunity for a bit of intimating poetry.

PS: Whether your character attempts to decipher their dream is up to you.

Have fun!

Abrazos,

Cristina