How to write in your sleep

A few days ago, I had a flash of insight about a story I wanted to write. I quickly wrote out a draft and after making some changes, I looked at it and decided I was missing some of the deeper meaning.

I’m going to rely on my subconscious self to delve into the deeper meaning. I have a strategy to do this. If you’re also looking for ways to build out a piece of your writing, you may want to try it.

Here’s how:
1. Print a poem, short story, or a few pages of a manuscript you’re working on and read it right before you go to sleep. If you have any outstanding questions about its direction, write them in the margins of your page and think about them as you drift off to sleep. As you sleep, your story will be simmering in your subconscious.
2. When you wake, pick up the piece of writing you left on your bedside table and while you’re still in your dream state, see if you have any new revelations about it. If so, write down any questions or ideas.
3. Do a freewrite about the questions and ideas and see what answers you find.

Plan to follow this process for several nights. For more ideas about writing in your sleep, read Carol Despeaux’s post about her bedtime writing routine.