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Can I turn my dreams/nightmares into a novel?

I have had many dreams which I thought were interesting and could turn into good fiction novels. The dreams had outrageous storylines. As a matter of fact, I am writing this because I had a dream last night that can be turned into a good read? Do you think its something I should consider tapping into?
It’s funny because I also had a pretty interesting dream last night! Why not? Go for it if that’s something you feel like spending time on 😁
Stories of our dreams..haha..Thanks Iynna.
Why not start with a single short story? If it gains traction you can build on it and make it a collection. Try posting it on twitter or on medium, or on forums. Super curious to hear about your dreams
I think starting with a single story will be a good start.Thanks for this.
This is so interesting! Yes why not!I hear that you have a couple minutes after waking up to recall the most of your dreams, after which the details dissipate. So perhaps keeping a journal nearby would be handy!Many years back I've taken medication that have really affected my sleep and dream state and my dreams increased so much in complexity as well as vividness. I also lucid dream so the combination of everything made my dreams, as my friends have told me, like Christopher Nolan's non-linear sub-sub-plots movies 😆
A few years ago, I did oil pulling with raw virgin coconut oil (ancient ayurvedic practice) every morning. I noticed that I stated having vivid dreams and did some research, which confirmed that it was a known side effect (vivid dreams are apparently common in people who are cleansing their bodies). The dreams were edge-of-the-seat thriller/horror movie grade and I would wake up thankful that it was just a dream. I started oil pulling again last year (I've since stopped) and my last dream was about being involved in a hostage situation.
Hahaa...mine are also lucid dreams and are shorter versions of Sidney Sheldon's plots. I have found that I have such dreams when I wake up in the middle of the night, take a snack then go back to sleep. There will definitely be a journal besides me in bed.
Absolutely! I've done it! Well, sort of. I write fiction as a hobby, and have one novel fully written. (Plotline actually came from a song I heard, but several other stories that are in-the-works came from dreams I had). I'm self-editing at the moment and then will look into next steps to take things to the next level. My hope is to at least get the current fully written novel published, and maybe that will inspire me to complete the others. All of my other stories are at least started in some capacity, but I decided it would be best to focus on the one that had the most concrete plot and that I was most excited about writing.If you enjoy writing, then why not write out your dreams as novels? If nothing else, you can say you wrote a novel, which is a pretty cool accomplishment in my opinion. Best case scenario, you get it published, and, again, in my opinion, that's really exciting to think about!
Congratulations for completing the novel. I am looking forward to reading it.Kindly post it here to see how I can purchase once everything is done.This is so inspiring Kelsey. Your story will encourage me to take the next steps. How did you make sure you didn't forget your dreams? Thanks much
Thank you, Corrina! I'm sure there's still a lengthy process ahead. But I'll be happy to share once it's complete and (hopefully) published!I'm so glad! I tended to have the same dream multiple times, or I'd have multiple dreams about the same character(s). If the inspiration came from a song, then I just had to hear the song again to remember. Usually, I'd only get a scene or two in my head, and I'd write it out as soon as I could so it would at least be on paper, so to speak. I prefer to keep everything in a digital file as opposed to notebooks, so I have all of my stories saved in a folder on my personal computer.
Thanks for sharing! You’ll be surprised once your stories are read by others who have interests in certain genres throughout different communities. The creative community is growing and immersing into other disciplines. There are many enthusiasts in a variety of topics. You can find or create graphic illustrations to make your dream into a good read. Create a space to explore your creative talents and share it with others, best wishes!
Hey there Corrina,I'm a fiction writer too and I've gotten ideas for stories from many places, including dreams. What's so powerful about the dream ones is that I get strong emotion during my dream and wake up with that feeling lingering, so I know exactly what emotion I want to instill in my readers.When it comes to writing a new story, this is what I ask myself: Is the plot interesting and will it hold up after writing a detailed outline? Do I have time for this story? Can it be condensed into a short story or novella instead of a novel?Then at the end of the day, all that matters is if you want to write it because life is short and if writing fulfills you - do it!Happy writing :)
I too have outrageous dreams and think about doing the same thing. Go for it! I even started writing the details of my dreams each morning just in case I do decide to act on it.
Oh my goodness! I can't think of a better reason to get started than having good inspiration. Why not make it happen? I'm a creativity coach, so if you get stuck or find yourself having issues making the time or space to get it going, grab my free guide, "Tricking Yourself into a Creative Habit" here: https://mailchi.mp/cc0777f48d58/labourgeoissignupIt'll help you establish a creative habit that sticks because it's manageable, so you can get that novel written!