Dream Sequences
Nothing makes me roll my eyes quicker than "Shock! It was a dream!" in a story. And I don't mean just the plot abortion crap, but when an author writes something that would be a really good part of the book just to have the character wake up with heavy breath. I don't mind dream sequences when I know from the start it's a dream. I think dreams can be used to help show some heavy symbolism and some of the hidden fears of the character. When I write them, I handle them like fantasies. The reader knows from start it's a dream and they're reminded that it's a dream. I'm thinking about including one in an WIP. What do you think? Is there a place in fiction for dreams or has the plot abortion tactic killed ALL use of dreams?

I think they're a cop out unless you use them very briefly to demonstrate something in the character's state of mind that they're not admitting. In other words, as character development rather than a plot device.

They could also be part of the plot, as in prophetic or precognitive.

I'm fleshing out the idea for a story where at the beginning the main character can't remember something important, but he gets clues in his dreams. I don't think I'll actually write out the dreams, maybe once or twice, but he will reference them.

Well, I've read a lot of stories where dreams are just used in order to create another sex scene, which may or may not chime with the plot. That's a cop out, I think. Not sure about precognition, etc. In the context of a paranormal, yes. But otherwise, not.

I've done two. One in My Brother, Coyote, where the whole chapter was a dream and it started with the Navajo Character "waking up" into his "war name." But the whole book slid in and out of what Anglo American's is taught is reality anyway. It was a place for a shamanistic battle to take place. The other was in Inland Empire. The chapter starts out in a dream...so you're not told specifically. But it's written to have some of that disjointed feeling of a dream state and Brandon feels his uniform scratching him and adjusts his duty belt. The character (for the past 8 chapters) has been identified as a detective... and by comments and such you know he's been one for almost a year. And really, what else would you use a dream sequence for? The first one is that a murder is committed during the dream (and outside the dream as well), the other gives you a reason for why Brandon is freaking out (the story's subpot is him being forced out of the closet) and this is an old memory that is dredged up as things are getting very tense. It shows, "no, he realy isn't overreacting."

Eep! I'm writing a dream sequence right now with my vampire short story. I've used dreams before, usually they are erotic, and usually they are yearnings. Usually though, with enough reading between the lines, it's obviously a dream.

If you're going to write about a female slasher imagining she's a gay man having sex, it sure better be a dream sequence. :) Yes, I've used dream sequences, and yes, they've often been used as cop-outs by writers - so often that some editors have them on their taboo list. I once played with the traditional cop-out plot by having the story turn out to be a daydream - and then having the characters who were sharing the daydream discover that maybe it wasn't a daydream after all. . . .

It can have a point and I use them from time to time--but please, not as an opening scene or prologue.

This dream would be used to show the lingering effects of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) in a very symbolic way. The readers know this character has PTSD and I've had it creep in, but I'm thinking the dream will seal the deal. Cop out or not? Perhaps it would be best to just write the scene and post it and see if it comes across as a cop out.

Dreams are an excellent way to demonstrate something subconscious in a character or as someone pointed out to indicate symbolism. I think all readers can tell if it's being used as filler or to create another sex scene. Done well it's a nice effect not a cop out. Post and let us be the judge! :)