Have you ever had a dream and thought it'd make a great book?

[Mandylubug]

I was telling DH about this crazy futuristic dream I had last night. It is still very vivid in my mind. DH tells me he is very intrigued and wants to know more of this story. Of course, I don't know more. It was a weird but quite interesting random dream. He was leaving for work, kissed me and said I should consider finishing that dream as a story. I've never written a story for fun. I had a couple of my essays in college published but other than that, I don't write.

[Snow]

Stephenie Meyer started the Twilight series based on dream she had. She's talked about it on her blog.

 

Certainly was successful for her! Go for it!

[Mandylubug]

Hey, tell me if this is a movie I have seen... because if it is I need to just stop now. This is my first attempt to write part of the dream and is a very rough draft. No judging on grammar :p

 

 

 

The house was disconcertingly quiet as we rummaged for the much needed supplies. Occasionally, you could see particles of dust floating through the air. The particles would just barely glimmer, like iridescent glitter, in the streaks of light leaching through the blinds from the street light outside. As I foraged through the bedside table, I heard a loud tumbling of glass come from the direction of my companions downstairs. I held my breath, grabbed the heavy weighted comforter over my head and scrambled under the large four poster bed, just waiting for the arrival of the scanners. As if on cue, the glass in the window across the room shattered as the scanner entered the residence. I willed my mind to calm as I attempted to hold my breath and calm my racing heart. The scanner was floating the room, looking for any trace of my presence. After what seemed like an eternity, the scanner, with its reeling drone of a noise, finally exited the room and went down the stairs. I was safe now. I just needed to keep still and not make any further noises. Hopefully everyone downstairs would have found the same kind of hiding places and could be just as motionless. The scanners, activated by loud rackets and motion, are harmless in and of themselves. However, if they detect our presence, they will sound the alarm and the heat seekers will arrive to eradicate our pestilential company.

 

eta: it is such a cheesy story, I expect it'll be for my kids to enjoy :)

[NoseInABook]

This should be interesting. I want to see what you write! 

[Mandylubug]

I let my oldest DS read it and he said he officially thinks I am weird. He said he was interested in the story though and wants to read the rest when I finish it. 

[Mom in High Heels]

Frequently, but I have to write it down ASAP or I forget.  I've actually used some of my dreams as basis for my fan fiction stories.  I hope to see what you come up with!

[Mandylubug]

Frequently, but I have to write it down ASAP or I forget.  I've actually used some of my dreams as basis for my fan fiction stories.  I hope to see what you come up with!

 

So how do you store your stories and ideas? Do you have a private blog, journal or just save on a computer? I always have several ideas hopping around in my head but will admit to never jotting anything down because the end result of finishing a story worth reading seems daunting to me.

[Critterfixer]

Large yellow legal pads.

I've had more than one character come out of dreams.

[Rosie_0801]

NaNoWriMo is coming up. :)

[JustEm]

I actually have a reoccurring dream from my childhood that I have always wanted to turn into a children's book.  Sadly, I am not a good creative writer.  I've actually suggested that my brother write the book and my dh illustrate it.  It would be a wonderful adventure for children.

[Mandylubug]

NaNoWriMo is coming up. :)

 

Yes! I considered it last year but didn't have the gumption to follow through with actually doing it. I think I just may do it this year!

[MarinesWife]

It sounds like something that would intrigue my husband ... especially as a movie!

[Mom in High Heels]

So how do you store your stories and ideas? Do you have a private blog, journal or just save on a computer? I always have several ideas hopping around in my head but will admit to never jotting anything down because the end result of finishing a story worth reading seems daunting to me.

 

I usually scribble that down on a pad right away, so they don't fade.  I have had loads and loads of them fade, so I keep a little notebook right by my bed.  Later (I shoot for the same day), I save them to an "ideas" file on my computer, because papers and pads tend to walk away in my house.  I just type in what I wrote down, and sometimes as I'm typing, I remember more of the dream, or I come up with ideas to add to the dream.  I don't give each idea its own file, just skip a few lines on one doc, with a row of ****** between them.  If I expand on the idea, and turn it into a story, it then gets moved to it's own file, and I keep the "scribblings" at the top of the story, incase I need to refer back to it as I write.

 

I write Stargate fan fiction (cause that's how I roll!), and two of the stories have started as dreams.

 

Always Find You, which is a "one shot" (meaning just a scene from a story) came to me in a dream, and I scribbled it down.  Once I thought about it a bit, I wrote it out, adding more detail.  One shots are frequent in fan fiction, so I published it.  I may one day decide to expand on it and make a larger story, in which this is a scene, but for now, I've got too many other stories in the works to spend too much time on it.

 

Staying Behind also came to me in a dream.  Actually, just the very end was in the dream, but I expanded it to make a short scene.  It can stand alone, without being part of another story, as it's really more of a character study (I guess).  BTW, this is one of my stories that got nominated for an award.

 

[Mandylubug]

I usually scribble that down on a pad right away, so they don't fade.  I have had loads and loads of them fade, so I keep a little notebook right by my bed.  Later (I shoot for the same day), I save them to an "ideas" file on my computer, because papers and pads tend to walk away in my house.  I just type in what I wrote down, and sometimes as I'm typing, I remember more of the dream, or I come up with ideas to add to the dream.  I don't give each idea its own file, just skip a few lines on one doc, with a row of ****** between them.  If I expand on the idea, and turn it into a story, it then gets moved to it's own file, and I keep the "scribblings" at the top of the story, incase I need to refer back to it as I write.

 

I write Stargate fan fiction (cause that's how I roll!), and two of the stories have started as dreams.

 

Always Find You, which is a "one shot" (meaning just a scene from a story) came to me in a dream, and I scribbled it down.  Once I thought about it a bit, I wrote it out, adding more detail.  One shots are frequent in fan fiction, so I published it.  I may one day decide to expand on it and make a larger story, in which this is a scene, but for now, I've got too many other stories in the works to spend too much time on it.

 

Staying Behind also came to me in a dream.  Actually, just the very end was in the dream, but I expanded it to make a short scene.  It can stand alone, without being part of another story, as it's really more of a character study (I guess).  BTW, this is one of my stories that got nominated for an award.

 

 

Those are both great! I read in entirety the first one and skimmed the second one! I will have to come back after I wrangle the minions into their beds and take my time reading Staying Behind again.

 

So far I have just typed up my thoughts. I do better on the laptop. I wrote 2000 words today, jotted down notes on the characters in my mind and details of the current scene I am writing about currently but I know I will not get to all of it today. I tend to be long winded and that will probably be my biggest feat to conquer.

 

I think I will dive into the nanowrimo in November as a good challenge for myself. Should be a fun hobby until I get bored with it. ;)

[Mom in High Heels]

Those are both great! I read in entirety the first one and skimmed the second one! I will have to come back after I wrangle the minions into their beds and take my time reading Staying Behind again.

 

So far I have just typed up my thoughts. I do better on the laptop. I wrote 2000 words today, jotted down notes on the characters in my mind and details of the current scene I am writing about currently but I know I will not get to all of it today. I tend to be long winded and that will probably be my biggest feat to conquer.

 

I think I will dive into the nanowrimo in November as a good challenge for myself. Should be a fun hobby until I get bored with it. ;)

 

Thanks!  I appreciate it.  There are grammatical errors in them, and wording I would change, but they weren't beta read, so I'm okay with it.  Let me know what you think after you read Staying Behind fully.  I would add a lot more to it now, to make it longer, but I still think it works as is.

I do better working on a laptop when I'm actually writing, but I find it viscerally satisfying to actually put pen to paper sometimes.  If I scribble it out on paper, it seems to stick better in my head if I write it instead of typing.  I do type it as well, but it really "sticks" if I hand write it.  I always take a notebook with me when I'm out and about, because sometimes I get ideas for whatever I'm working on, and if I don't get it down on paper it'll just go away.  Often when I'm physically writing, things seem to flow faster and easier.  Does that make any sense?

 

[Pippen]

I very rarely remember dreams, but when I do it's usually along the lines of me roller skating to Milwaukee on the Interstate. Really not seeing that as good book/movie fodder...

[Mandylubug]

Thanks! I appreciate it. There are grammatical errors in them, and wording I would change, but they weren't beta read, so I'm okay with it. Let me know what you think after you read Staying Behind fully. I would add a lot more to it now, to make it longer, but I still think it works as is.

I do better working on a laptop when I'm actually writing, but I find it viscerally satisfying to actually put pen to paper sometimes. If I scribble it out on paper, it seems to stick better in my head if I write it instead of typing. I do type it as well, but it really "sticks" if I hand write it. I always take a notebook with me when I'm out and about, because sometimes I get ideas for whatever I'm working on, and if I don't get it down on paper it'll just go away. Often when I'm physically writing, things seem to flow faster and easier. Does that make any sense?

 

Okay, I reread and must say I loved it as well. Makes me want to watch the show. It has been forever since I have.

[AndyJoy]

I once had a dream that was a movie I was writing/directing/acting in. It involved a mall, aliens, and a complete plot. I have no idea what prompted it. It was quite elaborate and I joked about writing it all down but never did so I've forgotten most of it. One of the funny things was I was playing myself but my husband was being played by Bruce Willis. I had never made that comparison while conscious, but afterward I realized it really could work if you ignore the age gap.

[Mandylubug]

I once had a dream that was a movie I was writing/directing/acting in. It involved a mall, aliens, and a complete plot. I have no idea what prompted it. It was quite elaborate and I joked about writing it all down but never did so I've forgotten most of it. One of the funny things was I was playing myself but my husband was being played by Bruce Willis. I had never made that comparison while conscious, but afterward I realized it really could work if you ignore the age gap.

Write it! Haha then mail to bruce willis to make it happen