Lucid dreaming helps a writer explore how specific events "create" a character.
One of the most important and difficult tasks in writing of fiction is character development. Some writers have suggested writing down questions with the left hand and the answers with the right to discover what motivates a character by provoking free association. Another technique, lucid dreaming--the awareness of dreaming within the dream--can also help writers "meet" a character in a virtual interview and gain answers to questions in a creative way.
Instructions
1. Writing down the questions will increase the chances of a successful interview.
Write down the questions for your lucid-dream interview right before going to bed. These can range from basic questions about age, background and career to detailed queries about life experiences, financial matters and stories about personal relationships.
2. Choose a comfortable setting for the lucid-dream interview just before you fall asleep, and repeat a statement about it, such as "Tonight I will meet Jane for tea inside an English garden." Imagine you are sitting across from your character, notebook in hand, prepared to ask the questions you'll need to get acquainted.
3. Play with your character's physical qualities by changing his hair from brown to red in your mind. Adjust her eye color from blue to green, and watch your character come to life.
4. Directing characters can help you discover the ways characters can react.
Gather the interviewed character with other characters, and direct them in a scene. Create a dialogue between them and observe what happens. This is a social exercise intended to shed light on your character's motivations and expectations within a story.
5. Write down the dream immediately after you wake up. Record as much information as possible without getting bogged down with complete sentences. If you cannot remember details, write down residual feelings or sensations you have. This could trigger details from the dream at a later time.
