You’ve probably heard the term fictive dream, which is when you as a fiction writer do your job so well that you temporarily transport your reader into your story world. We all hope our books do that, right? But before we can transport anyone else, don’t we have to experience it ourselves?
I believe we do. I’ve written about it often on this blog. Some refer to it as being in the zone. I call it dreaming on paper. This fictive dream is the drug that keeps us addicted to writing.
John Gardner wrote this in On Becoming a Novelist:
“In the writing state—the state of inspiration—the fictive dream springs up fully alive: the writer forgets the words he has written on the page and sees, instead, his characters moving around their rooms, hunting through cupboards, glancing irritably through their mail, setting mousetraps, loading pistols. The dream is as alive and compelling as one’s dreams at night, and when the writer writes down on paper what he has imagined, the words, however inadequate, do not distract his mind from the fictive dream but provide him with a fix on it, so that when the dream flags he can reread what he’s written and find the dream starting up again. This and nothing else is the desperately sought and tragically fragile writer’s process: in his imagination, he sees made-up people doing things—sees them clearly—and in the act of wondering what they will do next he sees what they will do next, and all this he writes down in the best, most accurate words he can find, understanding even as he writes that he may have to find better words later, and that a change in the words may mean a sharpening or deepening of the vision, the fictive dream or vision becoming more and more lucid, until reality, by comparison, seems cold, tedious, and dead.”
When I’m in this dream writing state, I feel the emotion of the scene. My heartbeat has quickened, tears have sprung to my eyes, or I’ve smiled. It’s glorious!
May you all enter this state of inspiration each time you sit down to write.
I can state -- almost unequivocally -- that the title of this blog does not refer to my mental state. It refers to my writing, which does, of course, flow out of my mind. Sometimes the process of writing is messy, sometimes weird, sometimes beautiful -- and always harder than I wish, but I love it. As I wander back into the real world from time to time, I hope to entertain you with my musings.
Great quote, and yes, I love that feeling, too, when I can successfully write in such a way.
I’m currently reading Lorrie Moore’s A Gate at the Stairs and her writing rings of fictive dreaming throughout.
I’m not familiar with the book you’re reading, but I love a book that “takes me away” like that. You know, I think writing that resonates with our own fictive dream is how we choose our favorite authors.
Wow, that sounds awesome!
…Unfortunately I’ve never experienced this, at least not to my knowledge. I do, however, watch movies all the time. I see them on the “screen” in my head being acted in environments and settings by people, and I write down what I see.
I hope that technique, while less dramatic, works as well. Time will show, I guess.
Interesting stuff! Thanks!
The movie in your head is the fictive dream, maybe it just doesn’t go to the next level for you … or maybe not yet. You never creep yourself out when you write?
Y’know, try as might, I don’t. Which is why the feedback I get from wonderful folks like you is so critical to me. It lets me know what works and what doesn’t. I can’t always tell myself. And I just can’t get scared about what I’m writing.
Like I said to Jennifer, maybe it’s best you DON’T enter that state since you’re writing horror. Call up Mr. King and ask him.
Yes! That’s exactly how it is when I’m in the zone. It’s been a while since I’ve been there. This reminded me of what I need to try to create again. It’s when I’m the most productive.
Oh, Kasie, I know! I haven’t reached that state with my new book yet … then I haven’t spent much time with it yet. Still editing….
I do live for the fictive dream, the zone, the flow.
This is the part of the quote I like best: “…he writes down in the best, most accurate words he can find, understanding even as he writes that he may have to find better words later, and that a change in the words may mean a sharpening or deepening of the vision, the fictive dream or vision becoming more and more lucid…”
I love that he clarifies that the dream can become sharper through editing. I’ve really learned to love editing recently. I used to be caught too much in a binary right brain/creative – left brain/analytical trap.
Thanks for a great post, a great start to the week.
Oh, yes, Cathryn! I’ve finally moved past the editing into THE EDITING and it’s wonderful! I am doing exactly as Gardner said, getting back into the fictive dream, and I’m hearing bits of the character’s dialogue, thoughts,and feelings I missed the first time.
I’ve been so deep into writing something that takes place in the summer that I was surprised to look outside and see winter. I love creating altered realities that I can step into. The trick is not getting lost there ……
Yep, that’s classic dream writing, Karen. Sorry to say, though, my husband might tell you I do sometimes get lost there.
I have the same problem – no trouble getting in that state, it is actually unavoidable for me when I sit down at the computer – it’s like a switch. For me the trouble is coming back.
Like a switch? Wowee, that must be heaven! Too bad you can’t bottle that.
I never knew it was a commodity. I thought it’s just how it is…
And I agree, I would not want to go there with horror! I would never sleep! lol
I have some stories in my head I would like to write but can’t until I know what the characters look like, which is why I like to write about real people.
As a reader, if I can picture the character right away, I can go to the fictive dream with ease. If the character appearance is vague, I have a hard time getting in the zone.
Do you mean you need the writer to give a lot of description of the character? I think I’m fine with a few details, and then I form my own picture. Sometimes the author gives a bit of description that I can’t picture and it bugs me the whole way through the book … like Quoyle’s chin in The Shipping News. What I hate is when they make a movie of a book I loved and the characters don’t look at all like I pictured them.
I hope you “see” your characters soon.
They need to give me just enough to have me create my own picture.
I agree about movies. I read Cider House Rules knowing that Tobey McGuire played Homer. Homer is supposed to be tall, and certainly taller than Candy (played by 6 foot tall Charlize Theron). I haven’t seen the movie yet so I’m curious to see how they managed the height differences.
Haven’t see the movie or read the book. (Did I just admit that?) Maybe they just avoided having them stand together.
“… reality, by comparison, seems cold, tedious, and dead.” Yep. One of those good news/bad news things.
Thank you, Linda!! I wish on all writers as well!
I have never heard of the term “fictive dream” before this, but I know I cannot write unless I am as you describe. And it certainly is addictive!
Great quote.
Wish extra hard for Darcknyt, he says he’s never entered that realm. Hmmm, maybe it’s best you don’t if you’re a horror writer.
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