Dream Sequences

[Lauryn April]

In my current WIP I have a few short dream sequences. They feel necessary to the story, but I've considered re-writing it to remove them as I've heard some say dream sequences should be avoided. How do you feel about dream sequences? Do you like to write them or do you avoid them at all costs? Do you think there's a certain way to write a dream sequence correctly? And, are there any books you've read where you feel the author used a dream sequence well, or not so well?

[SidnayC]

The new book I am writing is all about dream sequences but also about reality... I have found it to be very difficult to write because their are a lot of practicalities that need to be addressed. I tried to look online for books that also have this but to no avail... so instead I watched some movies that involve dream sequences. They were not all good but the ones that were ok were;
The Good night 2007
Paprika 2006
Inception 2010.

[Hannaa_Campbell]

No books, just movies.

Inception is my favourite movie.

[Vimtuous]

I think dream sequences in books are okay as long as the reader is aware that what's going on is actually a dream and not real life. That and that the dream sequence is absolutely necessary.

[AryanaMender]

I agree that dream sequences work, as long as they are relevant to the plot. I've never minded reading them if I know they are actually dream sequences and not tossed into the mix without notice.

[Lauryn April]

I'm glad to hear a lot of people saying they enjoy dream sequences. I like them as well, and it makes me feel better about using them.

[ALynnPowers]

Bringing back this old topic suddenly!
I think it really depends on how well you write it. If it's just weird and doesn't have anything to do with the story, then you should avoid it. But I don't mind dreams in stories, as long as it contribute to the plot and isn't there just for the sake of being there (like anything in a story, really).

[Gravy]

Elle Jasper does a good job of this. I like that, as a reader, you can tell when it's a dream.
I don't know if I like it when it's ment to trick the reader. But maybe that's just cause I was tricked
Chloe Neill's dream sequences work, for me at least.
In other words, I have nothing against them.
Done well they can really be interesting, and from a writing standpoint, they can be a good way to work around/through the plot and pleight of your characters.
They can be a blessing or a curse to your characters so it's a strong device in my opinion.

[dirtsmithy11]

Personal favorite dream sequence of mine is in the book One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kesey. The book has many but my favorite is a multi-page lucid dream described by chief Bromden. If you've never read it it is certainly worth picking up a copy. The passage is too detailed to describe here and there are so many to choose from but if you are familiar with the book I'm sure you'll know the passage I'm referring too.

[ALynnPowers]

I'm currently reading a book that has a lot of dream sequences! It's funny because I just started reading this book the other day, after I already replied to this thread!

Anyway, in this current book, it started off in a dream sequence, then it cut to real life, and that was all fine and dandy because I got it. And then later on in the book, more dream sequences would come up, and I understood they were dreams because they were always off the wall stuff and action/fighting going on. But then later a chapter opened up with a bunch of fighting, and I assumed that it was another dream sequence, but then it turned out to be real! It shocked me. It was like a reverse dream sequence. Does that even make sense? But anyway, it surprised me, and I thought it was well done.

[Naomi]

I'm another person that likes the use of dream sequences.

I read a book the other week which was a mystery and the author used a dream sequence which fit into the suspense of the storyline in a very clever way.

[ALynnPowers]

Oh! So I know this story where there are these "memories" in the story, but then it turns out they are actually just really realistic dreams, but you go through the whole story thinking that they actually happened in the last. I like that kind of trickery. It's a massive plot twist. But I can't tell you the book because now the ending is ruined for you!

[rssllue]

Dream sequences always make me think of Scooby-Doo for some reason.

[ALynnPowers]

Dream sequences always make me think of Scooby-Doo for some reason.

Hahaha! And that, for some reason, makes me think of Wayne's World!

[Gustavsson]

I like dream sequences as long as they're there for a reason. If they provide input on the protagonist's mental state, I like them. If they are an actual plot point-they reveal hidden memories, or characters communicate through dreams, or people are invading dreams-I usually like them. If they are just used to play bait and switch with making readers feel and then showing that the events were never real in the first place, I get annoyed. And if it's someone dreaming memories in a situation where a flashback would work just as well, I prefer the flashback.