Dreams and Writing

I dream a lot. I may not remember them, but I know I dream a lot. I had a wonderful one going this morning, during that almost asleep, almost awake time. I had started to remember the dream because I knew wake up time was coming and then the alarm goes off. I stayed still to try to recall what was going on, the characters involved, the setting, the colors (yes, I do dream in color), the sounds and smells (yep, those too), the mood of the environment and nothing. The dream was gone. Crimeny! That probably isn't spelled right, if it is a word at all but at this point in the morning, I don't care.

I got up, got a glass of water and took care of other business and got back in bed. Maybe I could dream again. Nope! The brain kicked on. More of a story I had started last night came into the forefront. Grabbed my pen and notebook and started writing. Yes, now I had a reason to why she (the main character) was being so difficult. The story was falling into place. I don't know how it will end but I've a good start. It's a short story. I'll write more on it later.

That's how many of my stories start. I dream them. Sometimes it's part of a dream. Sometimes it's a whole dream with some pretty impressive details. Before I open my eyes I try to remember as much as I can. I go over the scenario several times, then I grab equipment and write everything that I can remember down. Sometimes this happens at three AM and trying to decipher what I'd written is challenging in itself. On occasion, I can get a part two of a dream. Yes, some of my dreams continue. That's fun too. When I was younger, I would have recurring dreams. I guess I was trying to figure something out. Maybe telling me that I had control over my life and situation and that I could do something about it. In those dreams, the first one would be scary as all get out. The next time (and I would remember having the dream before), I would do something different. One dream I had four times (not always in a row, sometimes months later, or even years) and each time I would do something else to create a new outcome. I guess I solved that problem, whatever it was because I haven't had that dream lately. At least where I can remember it.

Sometimes my dreams do mean or is trying to tell me something and I try to figure it out. What the symbols mean. Can I connect them to something going bad in my life at the present time? Or did I eat something I shouldn't have? Other times they are so fantastical, they get written down. Whether they get turned into a short story or novel or screenplay or not, they get a bit of attention. Everyone dreams. You just may not remember them. Do you write your dreams down? What do they tell you?

Have a good Monday peeps!