I think movies get a bad rap. I’m a little tired of hearing readers moan about how awful the movie adaptation was for so-and-so book.
I get it. Nothing’s as good as the book…but come on. Imagine having to cram a 700-page novel into a 90-minute movie. Yowza!
Instead of whining about it, let’s talk about how movies can inspire you and improve your writing.
Most writers (and readers) have learned by now that a good villain involves more depth than just a bad guy running around, trying to take over the world. But how do you do that?
Every character and every world in every story has history. It’s part of the richness that makes your characters come alive. But how do you write backstory without overloading your reader?
When I wrote my last manuscript, I let inspiration carry me away. I had the introductory scene all laid out in my head, and my POV character’s voice was whispering to me in my head. I dove in head first, hard-core pantsing my way through the plot as I went.
At first it was great. But about two-thirds of the way through, I’d dug myself into a plot hole I couldn’t get out from, my worldbuilding was haphazard and unclear, my character’s motivations were fuzzy, and I had no idea where to go next.
A couple of times I’ve mentioned The Snowflake Method, a technique to organize a novel before diving into the first draft. Some of the steps include creating a scene list and interviewing characters. I personally used this approach and, without it, I don’t know if I ever could have gotten my novel started.
The very first step of the Snowflake Method is to describe the plot of your novel in one sentence.
