1. Write a dream sequence from your MC POV, the bad guy’s POV, and one from your POV. Can you keep any of these exercises? Do you learn anything at all about your characters? About yourself? Is Ryan Reynolds hanging out in any of the dreams?
2. Ann Edwards Cannon once (that I heard) gave a talk about all kinds of journaling. Am I right about that Ann? I can’t remember. It was so long ago. But I remember I loved the talk. Anyway, Ann spoke about keeping a dream journal. You know, for when you first wake up. And you write furiously all the dreams you have had that night?
Night before last, for me:
Two men really love me. A blond and a dark-headed guy. When the lawyer approaches (he favors Wolverine without the sharp blades), I find out three men love me.
Later, the house dream. I’m lost. The moon. Cheri and I are on the moon. Lost. Houses. Wandering the streets. It’s dark.
Later, a man kills 4 people with an axe, wounds 47 more. I try to comfort a boy who’s lost a family member. He’s wearing girl’s turquoise-colored pants. He’s crying while sitting in a 1950’s chair.
Anyway, here’s this:
http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-a-Dream-Journal
Seems complicated but may work for some of you.
Here’s what I would have said, “Keep some scraps of paper by your bed. And a pencil.” (Not a pen in case you write on your face in the middle of the night. Weirder things have been know to happen. Once I slept with my youngest. She had ‘Mom’ on her arm, printed in green marker. She wrote it there. Not me. In the morning I woke up with ‘Wow’ on my neck.)
What it all boils down to is this: Ann Edwards Cannon is right. Everyone should keep a dream journal.
3. Mark Spitz is mentioned in my latest book. Set in the Seventies.
Some people thought he was dreamy.
Whatever–we each have our dreamy fellows. Or girls. (Is there a man reader writer out there? Hello?)
Who are your dreamies?
Are they in your book?
They should be.
So write them in. You decide how. Have fun.
Throwing Up Words 