on. If you want to focus your dreams on a particular story you're stuck on, replay the story prior to going to sleep. There's a chance your dream will pick up where your story left off.

On similar note of interest, you can reverse the writing/dream process to eliminate recurring nightmares.

Banish the Night Mare

1. Write down your nightmare, describing it in detail.

2. Change the dream any way

Dreams are great fodder for fiction. We are most creative in our unconscious mind, uninhibited by self-control or doubt. The inner critic has less power there.

Whether you find meaning from dreams, or simply use them as story ideas, there are ways to remember them more clearly.

Dream Catching

Before going to bed, plan to remember your dream. Keep a pen and paper or tape recorder beside your bed. Simply telling yourself, "I will remember my dreams in the morning" actually increases your chance of doing exactly that. Mental power is an amazing thing.

1. If possible, arrange to wake gradually instead of with an alarm.

2. Upon awakening, lie still and review the dream with your eyes closed.

3. Write or record your dream, recalling as many details as possible. It's best to do this with your eyes closed, if you can, as opening your eyes will disrupt the dream recall.

4. Review the dream again, recording any additional details. Make note of feelings, plot, characters, and actions.

You don't dream, you say? That's not the case. Everyone dreams. However, some people simply don't remember dreaming. The most vivid dreams are ones you wake up during. In an effort to interrupt and "catch" a dream, set an alarm for one hour earlier than you usually get up.

The novel I'm currently writing originated from a dream I had many years ago. It has evolved greatly, but the main characters and a few plot points remain the same. I've even had complete scenes come entirely from a dream. I woke up, grabbed a pen and paper, and wrote the entire scene down without the flow interrupting.

Trust the subconscious. Write freely without doubt or hesitation. If you want to focus your dreams on a particular story you're stuck on, replay the story prior to going to sleep. There's a chance your dream will pick up where your story left off.

On similar note of interest, you can reverse the writing/dream process to eliminate recurring nightmares.

Banish the Night Mare

1. Write down your nightmare, describing it in detail.

2. Change the dream any way y

ly telling yourself, "I will remember my dreams in the morning" actually increases your chance of doing exactly that. Mental power is an amazing thing.

1. If possible, arrange to wake gradually instead of with an alarm.

2. Upon awakening, lie still and review the dream with your eyes closed.

3. Write or record your dream, recalling as many details as possible. It's best to do this with your eyes closed, if you can, as opening your eyes will disrupt the dream recall.

4. Review the dream again, recording any additional details. Make note of feelings, plot, characters, and actions.

You don't dream, you say? That's not the case. Everyone dreams. However, some people simply don't remember dreaming. The most vivid dreams are ones you wake up during. In an effort to interrupt and "catch" a dream, set an alarm for one hour earlier than you usually get up.

The novel I'm currently writing originated from a dream I had many years ago. It has evolved greatly, but the main characters and a few plot points remain the same. I've even had complete scenes come entirely from a dream. I woke up, grabbed a pen and paper, and wrote the entire scene down without the flow interrupting.

Trust the subconscious. Write freely without doubt or hesitation. If you want to focus your dreams on a particular story you're stuck on, replay the story prior to going to sleep. There's a chance your dream will pick up where your story left off.

On similar note of interest, you can reverse the writing/dream process to eliminate recurring nightmares.

Banish the Night Mare

1. Write down your nightmare, describing it in detail.

2. Change the dream any way

ou can, as opening your eyes will disrupt the dream recall.

4. Review the dream again, recording any additional details. Make note of feelings, plot, characters, and actions.

You don't dream, you say? That's not the case. Everyone dreams. However, some people simply don't remember dreaming. The most vivid dreams are ones you wake up during. In an effort to interrupt and "catch" a dream, set an alarm for one hour earlier than you usually get up.

The novel I'm currently writing originated from a dream I had many years ago. It has evolved greatly, but the main characters and a few plot points remain the same. I've even had complete scenes come entirely from a dream. I woke up, grabbed a pen and paper, and wrote the entire scene down without the flow interrupting.

Trust the subconscious. Write freely without doubt or hesitation. If you want to focus your dreams on a particular story you're stuck on, replay the story prior to going to sleep. There's a chance your dream will pick up where your story left off.

On similar note of interest, you can reverse the writing/dream process to eliminate recurring nightmares.

Banish the Night Mare

1. Write down your nightmare, describing it in detail.

2. Change the dream any way

earlier than you usually get up.

The novel I'm currently writing originated from a dream I had many years ago. It has evolved greatly, but the main characters and a few plot points remain the same. I've even had complete scenes come entirely from a dream. I woke up, grabbed a pen and paper, and wrote the entire scene down without the flow interrupting.

Trust the subconscious. Write freely without doubt or hesitation. If you want to focus your dreams on a particular story you're stuck on, replay the story prior to going to sleep. There's a chance your dream will pick up where your story left off.

On similar note of interest, you can reverse the writing/dream process to eliminate recurring nightmares.

Banish the Night Mare

1. Write down your nightmare, describing it in detail.

2. Change the dream any way

on. If you want to focus your dreams on a particular story you're stuck on, replay the story prior to going to sleep. There's a chance your dream will pick up where your story left off.

On similar note of interest, you can reverse the writing/dream process to eliminate recurring nightmares.

Banish the Night Mare

1. Write down your nightmare, describing it in detail.

2. Change the dream any way you wish, write the new version down. Use your creativity, be very detailed with this "new dream".

3. Imagery rehearsal. Mentally go over the changed dream before falling asleep.

This is a proven method to stop nightmares. Though that nightmare may be just what you need to add some tension to your story.

Learn to harness your dreams instead of letting them slip away.