Stories I wish I'd thought of first
Well, all the cool comments on the holiday movie blog reminded me of one of my favorite movies of all time: WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING.
How much do I love this movie? Very, very much.
In fact, this gem is high on a list I keep in the back of my mind called "STORIES I WISH I'D TOLD FIRST"
And here it is, written down for the first time anywhere:
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING--lonely transit worker saves the life of a man she's never met and, while he's in a coma, is taken into his family while they believe she is his finance. The one-liners in this one are priceless. The premise sublime. I've seen it a dozen times and love it more every year.
BABY BOOM--Uptight "tiger lady" ad exec inherits a two-year-old cousin she never knew she had. Throw in a quirky small town and you've got a story I'd give anything to have written.
(NOTE: RAISING HELEN tried to use this same premise and, in my opinion, fell flat because BABY BOOM already nailed it and why mess with perfection?)
WORKING GIRL--secretary poses as executive to get ahead in business. Such a clean, cool concept. It probably practically wrote itself.
GROSSE POINT BLANK--hitman goes to his high school reunion. Need I say more?
THE USUAL SUSPECTS--one of the great alltime screenplays. If you haven't seen it--go. Now.
(Not a story, but a title) PRAYERS FOR RAIN, by Dennis Lehane. I come from a long line of people who actually DO pray for rain, and now I'll never be able to use that title when telling stories about them. Drats.
ROMAN HOLIDAY--the ultimate Princess (or VIP) with a secret story. Again, others have tried (those two movies about the First Daughters come to mind) but Roman Holiday did it first, and best. So now I know better than to try.
WITNESS--Philly detective must protect an Amish boy who is the only witness to a murder.
ONE FOR THE MONEY--a laid-off lingere buyer turns bounty hunter in order to track down the guy who broke her heart (and who she later ran over with a Buick.) Genius.
Now, I should probably point out that there are TONS of stories I wish I'd written, but this is a list of stories I wish I'd told first, and there's a difference.
Take a movie like STEEL MAGNOLIAS for instance. Do I wish I'd written STEEL MAGNOLIAS? Heck yeah. But I think the writing itself is what makes that film special, and I think there will be other great stories told about quirky, strong, beautiful Southern women. And I have every intention of writing one of them.
But another story about a non-baby person who inherits a baby? Well, that's pretty much been done to perfection, so I've got to accept the fact that I am just too late.
I can only hope that there will someday be another young author who thinks, wow, I'd like to write about a spy girl who falls for a normal guy...but DARN that Ally Carter!!!
How much do I love this movie? Very, very much.
In fact, this gem is high on a list I keep in the back of my mind called "STORIES I WISH I'D TOLD FIRST"
And here it is, written down for the first time anywhere:
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING--lonely transit worker saves the life of a man she's never met and, while he's in a coma, is taken into his family while they believe she is his finance. The one-liners in this one are priceless. The premise sublime. I've seen it a dozen times and love it more every year.
BABY BOOM--Uptight "tiger lady" ad exec inherits a two-year-old cousin she never knew she had. Throw in a quirky small town and you've got a story I'd give anything to have written.
(NOTE: RAISING HELEN tried to use this same premise and, in my opinion, fell flat because BABY BOOM already nailed it and why mess with perfection?)
WORKING GIRL--secretary poses as executive to get ahead in business. Such a clean, cool concept. It probably practically wrote itself.
GROSSE POINT BLANK--hitman goes to his high school reunion. Need I say more?
THE USUAL SUSPECTS--one of the great alltime screenplays. If you haven't seen it--go. Now.
(Not a story, but a title) PRAYERS FOR RAIN, by Dennis Lehane. I come from a long line of people who actually DO pray for rain, and now I'll never be able to use that title when telling stories about them. Drats.
ROMAN HOLIDAY--the ultimate Princess (or VIP) with a secret story. Again, others have tried (those two movies about the First Daughters come to mind) but Roman Holiday did it first, and best. So now I know better than to try.
WITNESS--Philly detective must protect an Amish boy who is the only witness to a murder.
ONE FOR THE MONEY--a laid-off lingere buyer turns bounty hunter in order to track down the guy who broke her heart (and who she later ran over with a Buick.) Genius.
Now, I should probably point out that there are TONS of stories I wish I'd written, but this is a list of stories I wish I'd told first, and there's a difference.
Take a movie like STEEL MAGNOLIAS for instance. Do I wish I'd written STEEL MAGNOLIAS? Heck yeah. But I think the writing itself is what makes that film special, and I think there will be other great stories told about quirky, strong, beautiful Southern women. And I have every intention of writing one of them.
But another story about a non-baby person who inherits a baby? Well, that's pretty much been done to perfection, so I've got to accept the fact that I am just too late.
I can only hope that there will someday be another young author who thinks, wow, I'd like to write about a spy girl who falls for a normal guy...but DARN that Ally Carter!!!
posted by Ally Carter at Sunday, December 17, 2006
7 Comments:
i totally know what you mean, baby boom was excelent, and raising hellen was just kinda pathetic.
I really think that last part is very funny!
lol my mom always associates me with baby boom cuz it came out the year i was born, have you read The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, THAT is one of hte most unique books ive ever read; lol and Steel Magnolias makes me cry to this day...
Things I wish I had written:
The DaVinci Code
Screenplays for The Sixth Sense and Ghost
Anonymous at 11:20, I have to giggle about your comment on TTW. I loved it, but my fiance made a point to walk by all the time and say, "Listen: Billy Pilgrim has become unstuck in time."
It's the first line from Kurt Vonnegut's novel, SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE, which is also about a guy who time travels within his own life.
I wish i actually thought of TYKY, but that darn Ally Carter! i really wish i wrote about a theme like Harry Potter, about a normal boy finding out he is extraordinary
Darn that Ally Carter! i loved your book but i am willing to admit that i would never have thought of a story like that so i do not hold a grudge. There are a few that make me a little upset because i think of a story and i am just about set to write it when i see something similar and decide not to write it because it would feel like i was copying. Like FIRE GIRL not sure who it's by..stole my title. I never actually read the book but it was a title for something i was/am writing..so i changed the title which hopefully no one will take.
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