Thread: How do you design and revisit a dream?

I'm writing a novel at the moment and after watching 'Inception', I was wondering if it was possible to design a dream I can enter at will - which would be a place in my book. The idea of going to a place in my book and meeting my characters etc sounds amazing and I'd love to do it! An expert in lucid dreaming told me that it was possible - apparently you can create while dreaming then 'save' it into your mind so you can re-visit at will.
Does anybody know how to do this or can give tips?
I've tried to do it but have failed due to bad dream control. I can't change scenes from where I have entered the dream and the dreams don't last long enough before I end up dissolving into another dream scene. It's very frustrating.
Should I enter a lucid dream by WILD-ing and thinking of my book scene?
Do I need to create the place conciously or - because I am writing the book,the scene would form subconsciously?
I wouldn't really want to control what happens or what my dream characters do etc so it feels 'real'.
It's quite a complex idea...is it a bit too naive and far-fetched to work?

There are many misconceptions about how to control dreams. I believe there are several ways
you can do it. If you MILD, you can use a mantra to tell your brain "this is what I want to dream
about" but that one is extremely difficult. If you find yourself in a lucid dream, what you can do
is decide to go into the world of your book. Say you have a false awakening and you're in your
room, but dreaming. Go to your door. If it is open, close it. Tell yourself that the door does not
lead to the rest of your house but rather, outside, into the world of your story. It may take a little
practice but once you succeed, you can then let your subconscious take care of the actions of your
characters and everything from there.

Yeah I've tried the door thing but I just end up somewhere else. Maybe I just need more practice. I'm getting really good at entering a dream from awakening, whether it's from a lucid dream or going to bed; but the transitions are never smooth in a sense. For example I'll enter a dream, then realise I've done it but can't concentrate very well. I know what's happening but I find it hard to think back to who I am in waking life if that makes senses lol. I'll be like 'yeah I live with my mum and yesterday I went to the gym,' then I'll wake up and be like 'no I dont! I live in a flat and yesterday I was at work; why did I think that?!'. It's weird. Does that mean I'm not lucid enough and my mind is wondering? I have lucid dreams where something is out of place but I don't notice until I wake up.
I've ended up in my book world once, but it was very undetailed and simple - 'old graphics' like an N64 game(!). And also, characters were there that shouldn't be and my characters said things in weird voices that didn't suit their personality.
It's all strange and a little disappointing. Again, do I just need practice? :/

Oh btw...is keeping a dream journal very important? I'm quite lazy with it and find that I can't remember the beginning of my LD's! :/

keeping a dream journal is important as it helps greatly with recall. What good is dreaming
about your story if you don't remember it?