A Movie-Lover's Guide to Writing Novels

I've been asked to speak at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference next month, and in addition to sitting on two sure-to-be-fun panels, I'm also doing a stand-alone workshop, "A Movie-Lover's Guide to Writing Novels."

I just finished the handout/presentation for the session, and is it wrong to say it rocks? Does that make me sound too full of myself to say that I wish someone had done a session like this for me six years ago? Am I wrong to proclaim that I will change lives? (okay, I might give you that last one.)

In any case, the handouts are done, and I think, super helpful. So I'm posting the highlights.

1. Novels and movies both tell stories--that's their function and why we lay down money and/or invest our time in them.

2. Point of view is the first story-telling decision the story-teller must make. Now, of course you have to decide on the story itself--but how to tell the story starts with POV. Get the wrong one and you'll fight an uphill battle from day one!

3. Voice is crucial. It can't be taught. Moving on...

4. Character--EVERYTHING ties to character. An old screenwriting test is to cover up all the character names and see if, from dialogue alone, you can tell who’s speaking. If not, your characters aren’t unique enough. Are there two characters you can combine? If so, why haven’t you? Make ‘em special—they’re your ambassadors.

5. Show don’t tell—oh boy, is this an oldie but a goodie. I first heard this term when playing around with screenplays, but novelists use it too. In fact, it’s probably easier for a screenwriter to see and fix this problem. With novels, everything is technically “told”. What the adage is getting at, however, is our tendency to do the audience’s work for them.

Don’t TELL the reader, “Gloria had a bad day thanks to a rumor started by her ex-best friend who had recently stolen Gloria’s husband.” Instead, SHOW Gloria kicking a potted plant or slamming a door. Movie makers know that audiences only know what they see with their eyes and hear with their ears. If more novelists would keep that in mind, I think we could finally put the “show don’t tell” problem to rest.

6. Stories are ultimately a string of scenes. George Lucas has said that a great film is simply sixty great two minute scenes. Jack Nicholson has said that he’ll do any movie where his character has three great scenes and no bad scenes.

So, what are your three great scenes? Does all of your story take place within the context of a scene? If not, you may need to revisit number five above.

7. Amazing stories always have both internal and external struggles. Take the movie Rocky for instance. Rocky wants to make something of himself. He wants to find love. He wants to prove that he matters. How does he do it? By fighting the heavyweight champion of the world. If you’re all internal it’s boring, and if you’re all external it’s shallow. Strive for both.

8. Plot points are the scenes or events that “hook” into a story and spin it in another direction. In a classic three act structure, the first major plot point would be the thing that kicks off the main conflict of the story. You’ll have a lot of smaller plot points along the way as your characters strive toward their goals, but there is usually one big plot point near the end that sets up your final act.

9. Goal—this is what the characters want—not the physical item they desire but the outcome. It’s what everyone is working toward.

10. The MacGuffin is Albert Hitchcock’s term for "the item of importance that everyone wants, upon which the plot turns." A great example is the microfilm in North By Northwest.

Now, nothing ever comes of the microfilm, but it keeps Cary Grant going all over the country—it gives everyone a reason to have the next scene. If your story is stalled, asked yourself “what’s my MacGuffin?”

11. Tasks are obviously the things that must be done in pursuit of your satisfying outcome (goal) to acquire your MacGuffin. Take Lord of the Rings for Example. The Ring is a textbook MacGuffin. The task is to destroy the ring by achieving a bunch of other tasks along the way. If your scenes don’t have tasks—well—why are you writing them?

12. Pacing. I’m a fan of red pens—huge fan! The biggest! It’s hard, hard, hard work, and I’m not surprised most people don’t do it, but in my opinion, a tighter book is always a better book.

13. Putting the button on the scene is a term I first heard in screenwriting circles. It’s that killer line of dialogue or laugh-out-loud gesture that caps a scene so perfectly you’re eager for the next one. It’s a sign the scene is finished.

If you want an excellent example of a book where all the scenes have buttons, read If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend by Alison Pace. This book kept me up all night reading it last year—after every scene, I’d say, “just one more chapter. Just one more chapter.” I fully believe the “buttons”, the finished, satisfied feeling each chapter left me with, is why.

Well, that’s not everything, but it’s a lot of it—more than I probably should post here. For the writers in the crowd, I hope you enjoyed it. For the non-writers, I hope you found it interesting, too.

Ally

Next blog: check back soon for “You Might Be a Farm Girl If…” especially if you’re—you know—a farm girl. Or would like to emulate us because we’re so freaking cool.