Something that's bugging me...

Well, I wouldn't presume to present myself as an absolute authority on what constitues a hackneyed plotline (and personally, I'd be a little wary of someone who did). But a lot of times, it just depends on the overall quality of the writing and ends up being a rather subjective judgement anyhow--one of those "I know it when I see it" sort of opinions. Not to say that there aren't tropes and cliches.

Okay, enough rambling--all I can say is that sleeping/dreaming is a common convention, but if your story is fantasy and deals with magick, you are probably working with the inner psyche of your charcter to some degree, and dreams (and the symbolism of sleep) are a useful tool in that regard. I've used it pretty consistently so far in my WIP, and although I haven't opened with it, I too have some concerns I'm over doing it a little. I'll deal with it in the second draft.

As far as your pattern of opening with it for each book--it's possible it could work as a symbol or theme if appropriate. You may want to take a look at some point (probably after your first draft--if you're saying you haven't finished yet) at what it is you are trying to say--your themes and overall message. Perhaps this motif is just a subconscious extension of this. In that case, consider punching it up if necessary and go for it.

Having said that, if you're still concerned about cliche and you start getting feedback from others in that regard, it's always possible to rework your beginnings to eliminate the sleeping repetition. (Maybe easier said than done, but still possible )

Sleep is a comfortable alternative to the pain and misery of reality. I reckon Freud would spend all day with you.

As an experiment, write the first chapter, have the MC waking and getting into the action. Once written, allow yourself to read three paragraphs into the action bit, in real life. Then delete everything before it, clean up the first sentence and see if it works better. Dream openings are a bit of a cliche, and full-on dream sequences always (to me) read terrible. The best way around it, I think, is to have the character talk about a dream, or mention something they remember from a dream.

How many other books start with a character awakening from a dream? It seems a little over-used to me. That's not to say we shouldn't incorporate dreams into our stories -- I do. But the wake-up-screaming or sweating thing in the opening paragraphs seems cliche to me. JMO.

I suspect that since sleep and dreams have been done and overdone as openings, it would be near-impossible to craft a solid beginning using such a device.

I don't care what anybody (well, anybody fictional, anyway) dreamt unless it foreshadows--and there'd better be a compelling reason for such foreshadowing. Whether magic is sufficient to make it work is your judgment call--but I would still find such an opening, regardless of how well written it is, lukewarm.

Maryn, wishing she could be more supportive of the idea that's already there

azbikergirl said:

But the wake-up-screaming or sweating thing in the opening paragraphs seems cliche to me. JMO.

Click to expand...

Unless you wake up screaming and sweating because your wife has cuffed you to the bed and is currently jamming hot needles into your chest. Hell of a start to a book.