DISCUSSION: Dream Sequences and Stories within Dreams--How to not make it feel like a cop-out

[LightningTopaz]

How would you pull off a story being a dream sequence, or an important part of a story told within a dream, without playing the "it was all a dream" card at the end?

If I wanted to have the story itself be a long dream sequence, I would make it clear from the start that the story is a dream.

 

[Welkamo]

In a case of "the whole story is a dream", the focus shouldn't be on what happens, but what the characters feel. Dreams can say a lot about the character's psyche, depending on your world and character's views on dreams.

Also surrealism. Make it very clear that this isn't reality if you want to avoid a cop out.

I wrote a dream sequence once that I scrapped, but the gist of it was that the character lost a loved one to a person they had a personal vendetta against. It was a very on-the-nose way of showing that the character felt scared and powerless and stuff.

I also wrote a trippy trance sequence, but that probably doesn't count.

 

[Greninjaman]

@LightningTopaz
You could also have it be a case of the world is indeed a real place, it's just that it is only accessed via dreams.

 

[CynthiaLover]

Another tip would be to write dream sequences (or any other type of surreal or flashback sequence) all in italics. That way the reader will know that this "event" is different than the main story. Back when I was writing my Breath of Fire 3 novelization (which was sadly discontinued), I wrote both the surreal sequence that happens in between the Childhood and Adult sections and any flashback events in italics, with regular text showing the "current" events. Here's an example I did (or rather the entire chapter, which was only 3 pages long due to being more of a bridge between the events of the Childhood and Adult chapters). Hope this gives you some ideas/help on how to go about it.

Spoiler: Old story example

Darkness
​

A dragon prince searching for answers.

A lonely princess trying to find her destiny.

An engineer searching for clues on the age of machines.

A mutant plant who’s more than meets the eye.

A Guardian with questions and doubts about his purpose.

Their fates are intertwined in a way that changes the flow of destiny.

Garr managed to come around, shaking his head groggily. He was met with the stares of Nina, Momo, and Peco. Nina’s eyes were red, having been crying for some time, still hiccupping slightly. At the sight of her, guilt started to well up inside the Guardian.

Momo asked, “Garr… what happened? What was that dragon?”

Nina cried, “And where’s Ryu? Please, tell me where he is!?”

“Pukyu…” Peco added.

Garr got to his feet, but did not answer, remorse showing in his eyes. He guided them out of the tower, not saying a word.

“Garr! Tell me where Ryu is!” Nina cried, tears forming in her eyes again.

Momo placed a hand on her shoulder, “Nina… we’re just going to have to trust Garr. I don’t know what happened down there, but whatever that dragon was, and whatever happened to Ryu, we’re just going to have to accept.”

The princess shook her head, “No! I won’t accept that! My best friend is gone! Please, Garr, tell me where Ryu is! Please!”

Garr silence was deafening, but his eyes held more emotions then he was ever known for. This made Nina sob even harder, clutching the Ring of Fire on her finger, the last piece she had of her friend. Momo and Peco gained solemn looks, tears threatening to escape their eyes as well, while the guilt inside the powerful Guardian was crushing him. But he remained steadfast, continuing to guide the others out of the now-damaged Angel Tower.

Darkness. It surrounded him. A void without the faintest trace of light. He ran, ran as fast as he could, hoping to escape this darkness. His sheath was empty, his weapon long since lost. His legs were weak, his knees buckling, but he kept running. Running… in hopes of escaping the darkness that surrounded him.

Wisps of light appeared, but they were not an escape route from the darkness. No, they were the spirits of the lost. They were chasing him through the darkness, calling out to him. He did not heed their calls, his mind overflowing with fear and panic. But no matter how fast he ran, no matter how far he went, the wisps followed persistently.

The voices demanded him to respond, calling him to take action. But he did not. He just kept running. Running desperately in the depths of the darkness, hoping and praying for a means of escape.

A new, more powerful voice could be heard in the darkness. One that was commanding, yet more soothing compared to the others.

“Why? Why do you run?” it asked.

But he kept running. Unable to cope with the darkness, he just kept running. Something appeared before him. Hoping it was salvation. But it was instead the form of a purple-haired young man. His crimson eyes pierced the darkness, pierced the very soul.

“We are not like them…” he stated, his voice crisp and sharp. “We’re not supposed to be with them!”

But the lost soul kept running. Running away from this man.

“You have to embrace the blood that flows through your veins!” the man shouted. “We are not the same as all the others! They are weak! Pitiful and pathetic! Abandon your ties to them! It’s the only solution.”

But the lost soul kept running. No matter how far he had to run, he wanted to escape the darkness. His form started to change.

Skin turned into scales, hair turned into horns, hands and feet turned into claws, wings grew, a tail swished behind him. A small green dragon appeared.

It gave a cry into the darkness, as if crying for help. But the darkness remained. So the dragon ran. Ran as fast as its legs could carry it.

And the wheels of time continued to rotate. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, they raced on without pause. And the dragon raced along with them.

Next Chapter: A True Dragon