Writing The Dream Sequence in Any Genre

It's an old adage that our dreams are never as interesting to other people as they are to us—but that does not hold true in writing! From Hrothgar's dream in Beowulf to Gilgamesh dreaming of Enkidu's arrival in the Epic that bears his name, the prophetic power of dreams is a recurring motif in world mythology, legend, and poetry. Dreams remain a popular subject of writing across all genres as varied as Anne Bronte's poetry to the Dreamblood novels from N.K. Jemisin.

So what separates an engaging dream from a snoozer? What makes someone else's dream vivid and vital to a piece of writing? This workshop will explore examples of dreams in writing and techniques for introducing, conveying, and exiting the "dream sequence." Writers of poetry, memoir, and fiction will all find examples within those genres and find space to experiment with the dream sequence.

Class Format

This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.