Dreaming Within a Scene

monsterchic

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My character is daydreaming in the scene I'm currently writing. How would such a scend be formatted? Before the daydream starts, he has a conversation with another character. How would I show that he is now having a conversation in his dream but not in real life?
 
I don't think you'll need to format it any differently than you've formatted the rest of your work. That is, different fonts or text alignments shouldn't be necessary. All you really need to do, I think, is portray the fact the character's off in a daydream through the narrative. Before they begin daydreaming, their point of view will tell the reader that they're listening to this other character (maybe there'll be some mention of how dull their voice is, or how they just never shut up). The reader will be able to tell that they're starting to daydream if this narrative's focus switches from the talking character to something else entirely. For example, your character's point of view will then stop describing the way this chatting makes them feel, and instead starts describing something else that comes to mind. Their daydream.
The fact that they are daydreaming will really hit home if, after they've dreamt for a while, the talking character says something like: "Hey, are you even listening to me?" or perhaps says their name, after which your PoV character will snap to attention.
 
You could put it in italics, if you wanted to, but I wouldn't say it's necessary. I agree with Tecdavid - so long as you make it clear that the character's mind is wandering off, it'll be obvious. Bringing them back to reality will then reinforce it, as Td says.

You could have a lead in, showing the mind drifting to another topic, as well, but that's up to you.
 
Show us the scene and how you've approached it and we can tell you if it works. There are too many variables to just give a single straight forward answer to that. It all depends on context, POV and so forth.
 
My character is daydreaming in the scene I'm currently writing. How would such a scend be formatted? Before the daydream starts, he has a conversation with another character. How would I show that he is now having a conversation in his dream but not in real life?

I think everyone's going to handle it in their own way, and how well you do it is either going to get you a pat on the back -- or a slap on the head -- from your reader.

Hope its the first :)
 
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