Writing Exercise 17: Using a Dream

Dreams can be a good starting point for creative writing but they rarely produce something complete. This is because dreams often involve strange jumps in location, the sudden and inexplicable arrival of familiar people, shifts from one kind of story into another and - worst of all - interruption at a crucial point when the dreamer wakes. However dreams can still provide useful raw material.

 Stage 1.
Can you remember a dream or part of a dream you have had? If you can’t, invent a fragment of a dream - the stranger the better. Now start writing down your dream and when the dream runs out, keep writing. If you can’t think of anything else just write random words as they come into your head without worrying about sense. The important thing is that you don’t stop writing for at least ten minutes.

 Stage 2.
Pause for breath - or a cup of tea. Then look over what you have written. You aren’t looking for complete elements of a story or train of thought - just words and phrases that suggest them. Can you find words and phrases that suggest the following:
- an intriguing opening that draws the reader in?
- something that complicates the opening (perhaps the introduction of a new character or the beginning of a new idea or event)?
- something that changes a character, idea or course of events?
- something that provides material for a good conclusion ?
These elements probably don’t appear in that order and you may see several possibilities. Underline every word or phrase that may be useful.

 Stage 3.
Choose an opening, a complication, a change and an ending. Work them together into a story. In your first attempt, try not to stop writing and let your imagination lead you, just as it did in stage 1. You may find that your writing takes an unexpected direction - that’s fine.

 Stage 4.
Pause. Another cup of tea might be in order. Try to think of yourself as a reader or editor. Read back what you have written. Look for ways to turn your first draft into something that will make sense to a particular reader you can imagine. Don’t explain too much - remember that a reader can interpret small clues.  (Writers are often told, ‘Show, don’t tell.’)
Keep editing until you are happy with what you have written.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Writing exercise 1 - a valued object

This writing exercise comes in three stages and may lead on to a longer piece of writing. You can write in any form you like (poem, story, script etc.) Stage 1: Think of a small object that you particularly value. Imagine holding it in your hands with your eyes closed. What do you notice about it? Think about how it feels. Does it have a particular smell - or even a taste or sound associated with it. Write down all the words you can think of that express this. Finally - and only after you have explored all the other senses, consider what the object looks like and any special associations it has for you (e.g. a memory, a gift, the place where you first saw it). Stage 2: Think of a place you don’t know very well or where you feel just slightly uneasy. Imagine being there and turning round in a circle, taking in every detail. Once again start with sensations other than sight - how do your feet feel? what is the air like? what can you smell? what can you taste in your mouth? Write do
Read more

Writing Exercise 24: An Imaginary Friend

Many children have imaginary friends. Even if you didn't have an imaginary friend in childhood, it's possible you would like one now. It can help to create an imaginary friend as a possible reader of your creative writing. Stage 1. A friend is often someone with whom we share interests or points of view. Write down between three and five interests or points of view you would like your imaginary friend to share. Decide on three other points about your imaginary friend. One should be their age. One should be their gender. One you can decide for yourself but it should be something fundamental to that person. Write this all down. Stage 2. It's important that a friend shouldn't be identical to you. The friend has to bring something new to this imagined friendship. Write down between three and five interests or points of view the friend has that you do not share. Stage 3. Write down up to five things that your friend likes a lot and up to three things that your frien
Read more

Writing Exercise 4: Unpacking a Bag

This writing exercise is about building a character from a few objects. It’s also about being a sort of detective - like Sherlock Holmes. Stage 1. Think of five objects that you could hold in the cupped palms of both hands. They should be: - something that can be eaten or drunk - something that can be worn - something that can be played with - something that can be treasured  - something that can be heard Spend time describing each object, using as many of the five senses as possible. Stage 2. Now imagine a bag which will hold all the objects together. What is it like? Imagine an unlikely place where you might find this bag. Stage 3. Become a detective. Using the bag and the objects as clues, work out what sort of person owns this bag. Describe the bag’s owner in detail. Stage 4. How did the bag come to be in the place where it is? How is it reunited with its owner. There’s a story to tell - so tell it, in any form you like. When you have written the story, read it
Read more