How to use Dreams, Visions, and Hallucinations in Writing

Dreams, memories, visions, etc, are so useful in storytelling, but are often misused. These sequences are made to deepen the story and should have meaning. Otherwise, your readers may be left confused or stalled.

Let's break down how to effectively write these parts of your book!

Know the Purpose

First, you need to figure out why your scene is important to the story. If it does not add to the story, it is not needed.

The following can be used to give your character's altered state a purpose:

• Foreshadowing - hint at something that'll happen later

• Insight - showcase your character's fear, guilt, desire, etc

• Lore - receive divine messages, warnings, or memories from another life

• Plot progression - make your character realize or decide something

Use Symbolism

This one can be tricky. You do not want to overuse symbols in your story. They should be evenly spread out, enough for the reader to notice but not recognize what the symbols are for. Try to pick strong images or motifs to connect the 'dream' state to the waking state.

Here are some examples of how you can use symbols:

• Your character has recurring dreams of drowning

• Your character sees the same strange symbol before they wake

Make Your Transitions Clear

Make it clear when your character is awake versus in another state of consciousness. The last thing you want to do is confuse your reader with bad transitions.

Some tools that can help you are as follows:

• Italics (though these should be used sparingly)

• Use scene breaks or wide spacing

• Language (ex, 'she drifted to sleep')

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Dreams, visions, and hallucinations let writers bend the rules of logic. It allows us to reveal different aspects of the story and to keep our readers engaged. Use these devices to show, not tell, important details!

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely Saturday <3