In Your Dreams!
In my March, 2007 release, Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress, hero Jared McCreary uses one of my favorite phrases when main character Nicolette Antonovich tries to back out of delivering on a lost bet: “In your dreams!”
And it’s funny, ever since I sold that book, my subsequent writing projects have been altered by that very thing--my dreams.
While in the initial stages of writing How to Hook a Hottie (January, 8, 2008), I woke up with the name “Jason ‘Dal’ Dalrymple” in my head one morning, and the insistent feeling that I had to change the best friend’s name to that. I did--and the story suddenly took off.
When trying to find the right characters and tone for The ABC’s of Kissing Boys (Spring, 2009), I woke with the internal directive to change the main character’s name from Alicia to Parker, which to my mind, are completely different kinds of names and personalities, Alicia being soft, Parker having some edge. And besides, I wasn’t even sure I liked the name Parker for a girl. In any case, I obliged my subconscious--and bingo! I found myself moving through the scenes.
Last week, after having completed a list of first draft revisions on The ABC’s of Kissing Boys, I went to bed feeling "done". Only to wake up at 4:45 with the realization that one of the threads did not tie up. This was not something I had a considered a problem. In fact, I had been pleased with how easily and naturally it had resolved itself. Or so I’d thought...
All I can think is that the subconscious is a very powerful tool, and sometimes, my best friend!
Has anyone ever resolved a dilemma--either personal or professional--or gotten a fresher look at life through his or her dreams?
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
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8 fresh comments:
I wish I could say my dreams have helped me solve a dilemma, but the truth is my dreams confuse me! They are bits and pieces of images, and I always wake up wondering what the heck they mean. haha!
Absolutely! I have also gotten tons of great ideas right before I drift off to sleep. I started keeping a notebook and pen next to the bed after forgetting half of them. :)
Kelly, I've had plenty of mornings where my dreams were mishmash, too!
But Steph, I've also had the Bright Ideas when slipping off to sleep, so yeah, I keep a notebook and pen by the bed, too!
Thanks for weighing in...
Hi Tina,
Sometimes analyzing my dreams would take a team of dream experts. They've always fascinated me and in fact, my very first novel (under my bed at the moment) involved dreams.
Janie
I got an image of an old guy named Greybert right as I was about to wake up. An idea was born. So yes.
Janie, I've always liked analyzing dreams, too. I once picked up a book on dream meanings, but found it way too simplistic, so just like to have a hack at them myself.
And Megan, sounds like you had a very similar experience to mine!
I wasn't so much a dilemma, just an idea that wouldn't go away. 50% of my second book was based off a reoccurring dream. The MC's name was different, but her guardian remained the same: a 6 foot tall, full blooded Apache Indian--and former Navy SEAL-- by the name Tykota "Ty" Black Hawk.
Once I wrote the book, I no longer had the dream. It's happening again, so I might have to try making notes before I lose it all.
Wow, Celise, so you actually had recurring dreams of an unwritten characters--until you wrote him. How impressive! Thanks for sharing that.
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