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Writing Dream Sequences

December 13, 2016 By The Write Edit 6 Comments

There’s a reason many agents cringe when they encounter authors writing dream sequences, unless done for the right reasons. They are usually a cheap way of expressing information. Writers often use dreams to help the reader understand what is lurking in the character’s mind, to untangle the protagonist’s quandary, or subconsciously reveal the next steps for the hero or villain. These are all quick and dirty ways to avoid using narration, action, and dynamic scenes, which will unearth the same information while engaging the reader and moving the story along. Dream sequences often disempower characters. They rob them of their own skill and intelligence to make decisions. Instead, answers are handed to them in a dream. Image result for dreams writing

When you anticipate an upcoming dream scene, how do you feel? Do you look forward to it or skim it and discount its importance? What about when you’re gripped by a confrontation between lovers only to find out it was a dream?

As an editor, when I hit a dream sequence, I carefully note whether it works. Usually it doesn’t. And I feel particularly disappointed and cheated when I’m not told that a dream is coming. I might be reading about the antagonist crashing a wedding ceremony in an effort to kidnap the bride, only to find out he was dreaming this scenario. It’s like that author is saying, “Ha ha, gotcha.”

Dream sequences often interrupt the flow, delay the story, and bore the reader, even if well written, because the reader is aware that this is only in the character’s subconscious. And if for no other reason, agents and editors usually wince at dream sequences, especially when they open the story. They simply delay the action, the hook, and setting.

Writers sometimes use dreams to show off their flowery prose or their creative imagination … and readers see right through this. Writers would be better off writing the best prose they can rather than looking for ways to impress the reader. Before penning a dream sequence, ask yourself: Does this move the story along, and is it the best method for doing so? Is this dream necessary?

Here are a few scenarios where dream sequences could work:

The character is so stubborn, frightened, or immobilized that it is nearly impossible to act (as in Hamlet’s crippling inability to kill Claudius) that only a dream will prompt him to do so.

Dreams work when they are an important part of the story. For example, in A Nightmare on Elm Street, Freddie Krueger haunts his victims in their dreams, so even though we know what’s coming, dream sequences are essential to the plot, and are the only way to even encounter the boogieman. And of course this is a film, not a book, which relies on visuals.

Image result for dreams books

Dreams can work well in non-fiction, especially if the book centers on the study of dreams or the inclusion of dreams. For example, a psychologist might write a book about the Freudian interpretations of dreams.

Dreams can work in fiction for the same reason. For example, Stephen Lawhead’s sci-fi novel “The Dream Thief” contains dream sequences, and they are expected in a story like this. Books that explore drug use, fantasy, or otherworldy landscapes can also appropriately contain dream sequences.

Children’s stories can work beautifully with dream sequences, as long as they are necessary and well-written. “Alice in Wonderland” is a prime example.

If you want your character to have a dream, it works better to simply say, “Mrs. Parsons dreamt of her high school sweetheart, Roland. Guilt stabbed her as she awoke to fresh coffee and blueberry pancakes her husband had made for her.” It’s not necessary to detail the dream; it is enough to know that her subconscious gnawed at her. And in cases like this, it is okay to talk about the fact that a character had a dream. In fact, it can add nuance to a story.

So, sleep on it, and let me know your thoughts …

Filed Under: Blog, Uncategorized Tagged With: dream sequences, dreams

The Current State of Publishing

November 14, 2014 By The Write Edit 1 Comment

A couple of months ago, I had the astounding pleasure to hear author James McGrath Morris (Pulitzer: A Life in Politics, Print, and Power; Harper Perennial, 2011; The Rose Man of Sing Sing; Fordham University Press, 2005) speak at St. John’s College, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His personable, humorous, and highly informed presentation included up-to-date information on the current state of publishing. Here are a few of the random tidbits that raised a few readers’ eyebrows:

The largest e-book reading audience (41%) are people ages 30-49. (Didn’t you think it would be a tad younger?)

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Authors, Blog Tagged With: authors, books, digital readers, e-books, e-readers, James McGrath Morris, publishing, readers, Spritz Reader

Writers’ Conferences

February 2, 2014 By The Write Edit 4 Comments

Just like writers are told they should network, the same holds true for book editors. But in the same way that writers can be introverts, so can editors. (Okay, so I used to model and appear on television back in the day, but believe it or not, I can still be an introvert when it comes to networking.) So, I am going to pry myself away from the keyboard and start attending writers’ conferences and editors’ conferences.

Why Attend a Writers’ Conference?

Writers’ conferences serve many purposes. They provide a chance to meet influential people–read: those with the power to represent you or publish you. Many even offer pitch sessions, which are the opportunity to meet one-on-one with an agent. Many writers have landed book deals from an agent they met at a writers’ conference. Classes are offered, which provide the opportunity to brush up on those skills. Want to improve character development? Nuances of dialogue? Interviewing essentials? And let’s not forget that writing conferences are fun. You will meet other writers just like you, at all stages of their career. You might even make a lifelong friend.

Let’s do a cyber pinky swear: Authors, writers, and poets, promise yourself to attend one writers’ conference in the next 365 days, and I will do the same for either a writers’ or editors’ conference. Here are links to awesome writers’ conferences in the US:

  1. Association of Writers and Writing Programs https://www.awpwriter.org/awp_conference/
  2. Kenyon Review https://www.kenyonreview.org/writers/
  3. Tin House https://tinhouse.com/workshop/summer-workshop/
  4. Iowa Summer Writing Festival https://iowasummerwritingfestival.org/
  5. Bread Loaf http://www.middlebury.edu/bread-loaf-conferences
  6. Romance Writers of America http://www.middlebury.edu/bread-loaf-conferences
  7. SleuthFest http://sleuthfest.com/

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: conferences, writers

My Entry for the National Punctuation Day Contest

September 25, 2013 By The Write Edit Leave a Comment

Okay, so I entered the copyediting punctuation contest, and I didn’t win. The rules were to come up with one to three sentences where each sentence had a punctuation pun. You had to put brackets around the “pun” part. Mine was:

“Bring the [coal in] from the garage,” my sister said. I brought fifty briquettes in and said, with a [bold face], “Look how many I found!”
“Capital!” she exclaimed.

For real editing geeks (who are sure to “get” this one), I originally wrote:

Bring the [coal, Lynn] from the garage,” my sister said. Shivering, I brought three briquettes in and said, with a [bold face], “This was all we had.” When she asked if I was sure, I said, “[Uh, positive.]”

Darn,  I was hoping to win. Next year?

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: national punctuation day

Author-Editor Communication

August 23, 2013 By The Write Edit 8 Comments

Authors need editors. Editors need authors. I have a vested interest in superb author-editor communication. Let me just say: I love my authors. I wouldn’t have a career without them. I get a thrill every time I approach a new project.

So, my first piece of advice to authors and writers? Have an open mind. This means that if an editor tells you that your story would benefit from a different point of view, or that the three paragraphs you wrote to describe the meal your protagonist had for breakfast should be deleted, consider that you might be too close to the work to see it at its potential best. The choice is always yours to choose or reject an edit, but if you’ve hired a good editor, she knows what works and what doesn’t.

I_love_my_editorDid you know that the comma is one of the most controversial punctuation marks? This means that even the geekiest grammar Nazis at the Chicago Manual of Style will occasionally disagree on this cute little curlicue. What this means for the author is that you might wonder why we inserted a comma in one place but not another. Most book editors use the rules set forth in the Chicago Manual of Style. (For articles, we might defer to the Associated Press Stylebook.) We use this in conjunction with Merriam-Webster. For issues covered in neither, we make our own editorial decision. There’s a reason the comma warrants an enormous number of pages in style guides. So, trust that your editor knows what he’s doing. Although hard and fast rules certainly apply to most areas of grammar, gray areas still abound. Chicago often defers to what they call “editorial judgment.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: author, editor

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I am an established writing and editing professional, with a master’s degree in publishing, and over 20 years of editorial experience. After spending many years as a professional writer, and working for a literary agent, I turned my attention to book editing and have been helping authors and writers ever since. My keen eye allows for insightful feedback on your manuscript, website, or document. With the expertise of knowing what agents and publishers are looking for, I now dedicate myself to editing manuscripts and getting you ready for publication. I was a book reviewer for Kirkus, and I hold memberships in the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and the American Copy Editors Society (ACES). My personal passions include animals, Ayurveda, American Sign Language (ASL), yoga, and all things spa. I am a Chopra-certified Primordial Sound Meditation teacher, a certified Master Law of Attraction practitioner, and am Level-1 certified in EFT (tapping).

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