The Dream as a Starting Point

I like many people have started stories from a dream, daydream, nightmare, hallucination, delusion, etc... These stories generally speaking have a feeling to them that is different from other work. I find (personally) there is more whimsy, more horror and more freedom when writing from a dream start.

I think part of this comes from already having the framework of the story, or at least a good foundation. Generally speaking when I wake up from a dream I find inspiring, I got straight for pen/paper/computer/I-pod/sketchbook and jot down everything I can remember about it in an outline of plot/characters/setting/overall feeling.

I find that remembering how I felt during the dream, helps me when I start writing the story. It's like sinking back into the dream. That said, that sort of technique can also work well on other stories.

I tend to associate feelings, moods, music and sometimes specific food and/or TV/Movies with a specific story. Thus, when I find I'm having to struggle to continue working on it, I hit up the DVR, the DVD's, my Ipod, and the fridge.

For example, Bloodlines (Which is a dream started story), has specific triggers for me when I'm trying to work on it.

TV
Wolf Lake
Tarzan
Being Human
True Blood

Funny how two of those shows are cancelled...

Movies
Harry Potter (Don't know why)
Underworld
The Covenant

Books
Harry Potter
The Blue Sword

The music generally falls into Alt Rock/Rock/Classic Rock for everything I write, but I do have a few favorite songs for Bloodlines. When it comes to mood, I need to be fairly calm to start with. There's a dark feeling, sort of hazy, that I reach for when I'm writing it. I know how I want the story to feel, and writing from that place really helps with keeping it that way.

Sometimes writing from dreams can be therapeutic. You can think about what you experienced and consider if/what your subconscious is trying to tell you (if you believe in that sort of thing). It can also be fun. You could take any aspects of you dream and add it into a pre-existing piece.

I've been working on something specific in the past and then had a series of dreams about it that actually did help me get past plot blocks.

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for a story, is to sleep on it.