"Dreamworld" Premise

Evening L. Aspen · **Joined:** December 2nd, 2009, 11:01 pm **Posts:** 1461

For my NaNo this year, I'm going to be writing a novel tentatively titled "Meet Me In Your Dreams". It's basically about a farm girl who discovers that she can enter a world in her dreams where she can do just about anything and meet all sorts of people and creatures. (The people are actually real people, they just interact with each other through dreams.)

This idea of "meet me in your dreams" was inspired by a sleepover that two of my sisters had with a friend. They had plans to dream the same dream and meet each other at a designated spot. The dream itself wasn't important, but that idea intrigued me. So I'd like to introduce you to the World of Dreams:

Dreamworld is entered through a sort of "fall" when you are just about to fall asleep. If you've ever been on the verge of sleep and you suddenly felt as though you were falling or jumping, then you know what it feels like to enter Dreamworld. The idea is that if you let yourself fall, instead of trying to wake up, you will enter Dreamworld. But you also have to have a willing and open imagination.

There are three "types" of people in Dreamworld. There are the Sleepers, those who have not discovered Dreamworld or simply do not care about it. Some Sleepers have discovered Dreamworld as a child, but most "grow out of it". (Indeed, most of the people in Dreamworld are children, since they are the most likely to have lively imaginations.) The second type are called the Noctri (singular: Noctrus or Noctra). They are those who have discovered Dreamworld, but dedicate themselves to messing it up or preventing people from discovering or entering it. The third type are the Dreamers. Almost all of the people in Dreamworld are Dreamers. They are those who have discovered Dreamworld and dedicate themselves to taking care of it. Dreamers are the rulers and protectors of Dreamworld.

Here's how Dreamworld works: Even though there are only three "types" of people (Dreamers, Sleepers, and the Noctri), there are many other sub-created races in Dreamworld. When a person becomes a Dreamer, they can Dream (or sub-create) aspects into Dreamworld. The most common way to do this is to write about the sub-creation in the Book of Dreams (name may change). Some earlier Dreamers would simply imagine the creatures in their imagination and then the creature would appear somewhere. You know how sometimes in your dreams you can imagine something and then it pops out of nowhere? That's sort of how it can work.

The only rule about Dreaming things is that it cannot contradict the cobha of Dreamworld. What the cobha is... I haven't figured out yet. (Bad Evening.) :shock:

This is basically what I have so far. I need some help with my world's premise. First impressions, questions, critiques, theological issues, similarities to other literary works, everything. When I read my premise, I wince because it sounds like a) a Narnia/Bridge to Terabithia rip-off, and b) extremely New Age. :shock:

So if you have ideas, concerns, or anything else you want to tell me, shoot. I'm a big girl, I can take it.

Oh, and if you have questions, ask away, 'cause it will help me develop this premise further.

Thanks!
~ Evening

Melody Kondrael · **Joined:** March 27th, 2010, 2:47 pm **Posts:** 921

First reaction: That sounds fun. Though seems I heard a similar premise someplace...but because I can't think of where, it probably is nothing and should not be paid attention to. ;D

You could write it George MacDonald-style; sounds like something along those lines.

PrincessoftheKing · **Posted:** October 12th, 2010, 2:32 pm

Ditto to Melody: that sounds like fun! And I really like that Dreamworld is being created piece by piece, and each Dreamer can add something new to it.

When I read it, I didn't think of Narnia or Bridge to Terabithia. It did sound slightly new-agey, but I can't really tell just from the premise. It depends on how you write it, and I doubt that it will sound new-agey when it's written.

So what happens in the story? Do the Dreamers have to save Dreamworld from the Noctri or something like that?

Evening L. Aspen · **Joined:** December 2nd, 2009, 11:01 pm **Posts:** 1461

Hmm, it's a good sign that y'all think it sounds fun. I think it sounds fun, too.

Melody: I'll have to check out some of George MacDonald's works at our library (if the library has any...).

PrincessoftheKing wrote:

So what happens in the story? Do the Dreamers have to save Dreamworld from the Noctri or something like that?

Maybe. I'm a sort of seat-of-the-pants writer, but I do have a couple storylines in mind.

1. Ren (the MC) discovers Dreamworld, but does something that makes her a Noctra, and then comes around to becoming a Dreamer. I like this idea because I can have a redemption theme and my MC can go through all three stages. The only trouble will be figuring out what she does and why, and then keeping the reader identifying with her even when she's a "bad guy". I have lots of great scenes in my mind that go with this storyline, though.

2. Ren discovers Dreamworld, but soon discovers that there is a secret that the Dreamers are keeping. This was one of those "what if" plots. What if the good guys end up being the bad guys? But I don't want to mix good and evil and make it seem like it's all about your perspective ('cause it isn't). But this could be interesting, too.

3. Ren discovers Dreamworld and has to help save it from the Noctri, who are close to tearing it apart. I'll have to figure out Dreamworld's cobha before I can go further with this, because I currently don't know what could destroy Dreamworld...

Thanks for your comments, guys. If you have any others, or questions, feel free to ask away.

PrincessoftheKing · **Posted:** October 12th, 2010, 3:49 pm

All of those sound good, but the first one is my favorite.

I'm a seat-of-the-pants writer too, so I understand! (My mom keeps telling that I need to outline my stories, but it hasn't happened yet.

)

Pavalini · **Posted:** October 12th, 2010, 4:53 pm

INCEPTION!

I'm sorry, couldn't resist.

Sounds good. However, you need to have a problem situated with the Dreamworld. Maybe if you break this rule you were telling us about, then the Dreamworld becomes a nightmare! There needs to be a danger involved. For instance, if people are in it for too long they fall into a coma and can't escape (or escaping is very difficult and involves going into the Nightmare side of Dreamworld). Something like that. Go wild.

Dreams have a way of telling us what our inmost fears and thoughts are. For instance, there was a period in my life where I was really addicted to this TV show. One night, I actually dreamed I was a lead character in one of the episodes! That's when I realized I was thinking about the show way too much. I wasn't committing my thought-life to God like I should, and I stopped watching the show. Perhaps you could bring a theological aspect to Dreamworld. God often spoke to His servants through dreams. Perhaps by going into Dreamworld, your protagonist has to learn something about herself/himself.

Last thing I'm gonna say: have the protagonist's journeys into Dreamworld somehow relate to her/his real-life situation. Dreams play little part in how we live life. If she has to slay a nightmare in Dreamworld, then when she wakes up it was still just a dream. It has nothing to do with how she treats her siblings, parents, or friends. Change that. Make it so the protagonist has to learn something.

I like the premise! I'm going to try it out tonight...

Melody Kondrael · **Joined:** March 27th, 2010, 2:47 pm **Posts:** 921

You can read most of his books online through Project Gutenburg.

Hehe, oh yeah, Inception... this isn't much like that, though. ;D And probably a lot less dark, lol.

I agree, there should be a danger... a personal danger... something that relates to the real-world. Getting trapped in dreamland would be fun too. Lots of options there.

Also, it would be quite interesting to see people interacting, as in a subworld. For example, there would be villain-types who dream of taking over the world, and there would be superheroes who dream of saving it in response. What if everyone in a dream was a real person, you know? That could be interesting.

PrincessoftheKing · **Posted:** October 12th, 2010, 5:13 pm

Based off what Melody said, it would be amazing if the MC met the bad guy in the real world, and not just in the Dreamworld.

Rachel Newhouse · **Posted:** October 12th, 2010, 9:29 pm

Melody, I am here to patch the broken bridge in your memory! This is similar to what we discussed while I was at your house - what we might do to revamp Castalia. We were thinking about making the Castalia a sort of "dreamworld"; the characters would enter and exit it multiple times. Other "real world" people could get into Castalia, and what happened in Castalia was mirrored in the real world. Someone would get left behind in Castalia; they'd be missing or in a coma in the real world. Someone would die in Castalia; they'd be dead in the real world too. Lessons and morals, of course, were carried back and forth repeatedly!

It's a similar concept. One major difference is that Castalia was a set "other world." There was no rewriting of the elements by the people that visited. Also, some people in Castalia were natives. They were just used to "visitors" from America.

All of that to say, yes, I've heard of the general concept before.

But I would not in anywise let that deter you. There is nothing whatsoever new under the sun! But you can do something exciting with a familiar concept.

Personally, I think it sounds fun. I do not think it sounds new-agey, because I approach it like fantasy. It's not real, and that's fine. There is a lot of potential in exploring how the dreams correspond to real-life. I think the idea of being able to "rewrite" the world is fascinating, and there's a lot of potential for plot twists and morals. I especially like the idea of consequences if you stay too long in the dream world - no hiding from reality!

I've heard it said that dreams are your mind's conglomeration of everything it's been fed recently, and I personally can see this in my dreams. Even the mundane things will show up in my dreams in the most twisted fashion. I read a friend's letter about her moving out of the house; suddenly, in my dreams, I'm moving away from all familiar to a foreign place. That might be an interesting concept to pursue.

Evening L. Aspen · **Joined:** December 2nd, 2009, 11:01 pm **Posts:** 1461

This is why I love Holy Worlds. All these creative people throwing around ideas and stuff. Sweet!

PrincessoftheKing wrote:

Based off what Melody said, it would be amazing if the MC met the bad guy in the real world, and not just in the Dreamworld.

I actually plan for my MC to meet at least one person she has met in Dreamworld. It's a pretty interesting scene, and pretty cool if I do say so myself.

Melody Kondrael wrote:

Also, it would be quite interesting to see people interacting, as in a subworld. For example, there would be villain-types who dream of taking over the world, and there would be superheroes who dream of saving it in response. What if everyone in a dream was a real person, you know? That could be interesting.

Yes, actually, that's how things work. Each person in Dreamworld is a real person. There are other races, like sylphs and fairies and stuff, but they are dreamed, they aren't actually "real" people.

Pavalini wrote:

Dreams have a way of telling us what our inmost fears and thoughts are. [...] Perhaps you could bring a theological aspect to Dreamworld. God often spoke to His servants through dreams. Perhaps by going into Dreamworld, your protagonist has to learn something about herself/himself.

I hesitate to make my books very theological, but that's a really good idea. I've been toying with the idea of making this story a sort of allegory of fantasy writing/reading. It's really great, but if we let it consume us it becomes addicting and idolatrous. Here's another idea:

What if the Noctri aren't "bad guys", they are actually just Dreamers who have let themselves be consumed by Dreamworld? They're so obsessed with living through their dreams that they totally forget about and ignore real life. They get addicted to the utopia of the World of Dreams. And since Dreamworld relies heavily on your imagination and real life experiences, the Noctri no longer enjoy Dreamworld. Instead, it becomes torment for them because they are plagued by the guilt and shame of forgetting their real lives.

How does that sound? There's lots of potential for growing my MC. The only thing is that it makes Dreamworld into a utopia, which could be good or bad. Good, in that is prevents the slightly cliché "you must help us save our world from ruin", bad in that... hmm, is it bad?

I like this idea because it makes the danger of Dreamworld more personal. What do ya'll think?

Thanks for helping me with this.

Rachel Newhouse · **Posted:** October 13th, 2010, 1:07 pm

I think that’s a solid idea. It’s less cliché, but it still poses personal danger. There’s a lot of potential in an MC that discovers the dreamworld, becomes obsessed and has the dream turn into a nightmare, and then returns the world to a balance. Your MC should drive the story, so if they’re inventing their own nightmare with their mistakes (which they consequently have to fix), that’s strong.

A random idea on that vein: Perhaps the MC is unhappy with the real-world. It could be a circumstance, or it could be a specific person they are troubled by. In the dreamworld, the MC has the power to edit these circumstances, make things miserable for their enemy, etc. – and they like that control. That would be one reason why they might become obsessed with the dreamworld.

So how, exactly, does the dreamworld turn into a nightmare? Is it merely mental, or does the Noctri’s heart affect the world around them? Since Noctri aren’t spending enough time in real-life, they might run low on “fodder” with which to create the dreamworld. Does the dreamworld grow old and worn for them? Or do the same elements get reused over and over? That would be interesting; since the Noctri aren’t in real-life gathering new mental pieces, the same elements keep reappearing in the dreamworld. It could be an endless cycle of the same event relived, or perhaps the land would become overrun with a certain element. (For instance, if the character once planted a bush in the dreamworld, that action would repeat until the bush chokes out the other plants.) What was originally a pleasant element could come back as evil; the character would build a nightmare with the elements they once considered paradise. That ties into the concept of how obsession can turn a good element into a sin.

Kiev Shawn · **Posted:** October 13th, 2010, 1:31 pm

The one problem with this forum: I want to read all these great stories now!

I think it sounds really interesting, Evening.

PrincessoftheKing · **Posted:** October 13th, 2010, 7:33 pm

I really like your idea, Evening. It throws out a lot of clichés.

Evening L. Aspen · **Joined:** December 2nd, 2009, 11:01 pm **Posts:** 1461

I'm all for tossing out clichés.

Philadelphia wrote:

A random idea on that vein: Perhaps the MC is unhappy with the real-world. It could be a circumstance, or it could be a specific person they are troubled by. In the dreamworld, the MC has the power to edit these circumstances, make things miserable for their enemy, etc. – and they like that control. That would be one reason why they might become obsessed with the dreamworld.

Yes, that is a part of the story. Ren feels ignored and rather useless, so she resorts to other means (her horse and later, Dreamworld) to feel loved and purposeful. It would be really interesting if she dreamed revenge on her family. I like that idea; thanks!

Philadelphia wrote:

So how, exactly, does the dreamworld turn into a nightmare? Is it merely mental, or does the Noctri’s heart affect the world around them? Since Noctri aren’t spending enough time in real-life, they might run low on “fodder” with which to create the dreamworld. Does the dreamworld grow old and worn for them? Or do the same elements get reused over and over? That would be interesting; since the Noctri aren’t in real-life gathering new mental pieces, the same elements keep reappearing in the dreamworld. It could be an endless cycle of the same event relived, or perhaps the land would become overrun with a certain element. (For instance, if the character once planted a bush in the dreamworld, that action would repeat until the bush chokes out the other plants.) What was originally a pleasant element could come back as evil; the character would build a nightmare with the elements they once considered paradise. That ties into the concept of how obsession can turn a good element into a sin.

Those are some really good questions, Philli. I'm going to be gone this weekend and if I get the time I will sit down and come up with some ideas on that topic. I like all of your ideas, and I think that the source of the Noctri's nightmares will be a combination of most of those possibilities. I'm still trying to figure out how much of Dreamworld is perceived differently by certain people and what is the same for everyone. Since many people interact together in Dreamworld, there has to be some common elements. I think this "common ground" will be vital to figuring out what exactly happens to Dreamworld for the Noctri.

I will definitely keep working on this. Thank you all so much for your help. I'm having tons of fun working on this.

The Bard · **Posted:** January 6th, 2011, 6:42 pm

I think there was a Twilight Zone episode that had this same general idea but I can't remember its name...

Neil of Erk · **Posted:** January 12th, 2011, 12:25 am

What about people like me, who have dreams and don't know they're dreaming until they wake up. Would we be Sleepers inhabiting the Dreamworld unconsciously or a fourth type of people, exposed to the dangers of Dreamworld but unaware we are in it?

Whythawye · **Posted:** January 15th, 2011, 2:56 pm

Neil of Erk wrote:

What about people like me, who have dreams and don't know they're dreaming until they wake up. Would we be Sleepers inhabiting the Dreamworld unconsciously or a fourth type of people, exposed to the dangers of Dreamworld but unaware we are in it?

Non-lucid dreamers normally do not inhabit the same dreamworld as other dreamers. As such, you wouldn't be interacting with them at all or be affected by them.

However, due to various causes, you might wander into it by accident, or be drawn into it by someone there. Those would be the Sleepers.

Evening L. Aspen · **Joined:** December 2nd, 2009, 11:01 pm **Posts:** 1461

*blinks* Right. What Jay said. :shock:

You know you have a problem when other people have better answer for questions about your own world than you do. :roll:

Just a bit to add: Dreaming does not mean that you are in Dreamworld. You have to enter it, so most people dream outside of it. Although this is the first time I've heard about lucid/non-lucid dreaming, so I'll have to do some more research and brainstorming on the topic. Thanks for your question, Neil, and your answer, Jay.

LukeLC · **Joined:** October 22nd, 2010, 10:32 am **Posts:** 3

Sir Emeth Mimetes wrote:

Non-lucid dreamers normally do not inhabit the same dreamworld as other dreamers. As such, you wouldn't be interacting with them at all or be affected by them.

True, but this doesn't mean lucid dreamers can't visit non-lucid dreamers. Lucid dreamers can, in fact, help non-lucid dreamers realize they are dreaming this way, making them a lucid dreamer, too

Maybe, if you're looking for an interesting twist, some people could get pulled out of their regular dreams and 'trapped' in Dreamworld by the Noctri or something. That would be a way to mix non-lucid dreamers and lucid dreamers without exploiting the accident factor.

Evening L. Aspen wrote:

I need some help with my world's premise. First impressions, questions, critiques, theological issues, similarities to other literary works, everything.

I'm kind of an expert on dreams (been unintentionally lucid dreaming since I was 4, and studying [intentional] lucid dreaming for over a year now); feel free to contact me with any question of any sort! And yes, I have really had dreams that were shared with other real people (though I haven't been able to do it on purpose).

Naturally, I'm in favor of any good story that involves dreams! Keep it up!

(and in case anyone's interested, I've written one myself, though in the end it was only completed as a script so I could turn it into a movie. Link to the completed video on youtube is here.

"Dreamworld" Premise

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