Writing Cinematically: 10 Movie Techniques to Apply to Your Novel

by Deborah Raney

If I’d known my first novel—a story about a family dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease—would be made into a movie, I would have written it very differently. But when I got my first glimpse of the script, I understood immediately why the screenwriters had changed so many elements from my novel. Too many of my scenes took place in a character’s head—in his memories or her internal dialogue. I’m so grateful it was my first novel that made it to the silver screen because the experience of seeing my story turned into a script changed the way I wrote my next thirty novels.

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Countdown to Christmas - by DiAnn Mills

It’s fifteen days until Christmas. If you’re like me, you can’t sit still. The excitement has me wiggling to the tune of Jingle Bells. At times I think I’ll explode with the pure joy of the season. It’s in the air I breathe, the thrills of Christmas.

Are you a writer on deadline?

Yet the writing life goes on, and I can’t think of anything worse than an approaching deadline at Christmas. If you’re like me, it’s difficult to concentrate on finishing up a novel, respond and create social media, and explore content for blogs when I’d rather turn up the Christmas music and bake cookies.

Dear writer, this may be the year to slow down, especially if you’re on a time crunch.

How do writers balance family, work, and holiday responsibilities when we want

to create the perfect Christmas? To counter my perfectionism to complete all projects and meet all demands, I made a list of fifteen things every writer can do to make the season more fun and less stressful.

Too many things to do!

1. Calendar the church’s Christmas program and plan to attend.

2. Cut the amount of Christmas decorations in half.

3. Order the holiday baking goodies instead of melting butter and measuring sugar at 1:00 a.m.

4. Stuck with hosting the holiday dinner? Consider a maid and catering service.

5. Shop online and avoid the traffic crunch.

6. Do a Christmas craft with kids. It’s amazing how much fun, and it’s also a creative outlet.

7. Send e-cards instead of mailing traditional ones. It’s cheaper and the selection is amazing.

8. Exercise—you’ll feel better.

9. Eat healthy—your body will thank you.

10. Sleep late and nap so you’re rested for the big party.

11. Read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

12. Have a Christmas movie marathon.

13. Sing all your favorite Christmas songs at the top of your lungs!

14. Take time to thank God for all His blessings.

15. Create a silly poem. Here’s mine:

Up on the Bookshelf

Up on the bookshelf

Editors call.

Out jump agents, writers on call.

Down through the aisles

With lots of books,

All with metaphors and lively hooks.

Ho Ho Ho

A writer would know.

Ho Ho Ho

A writer would know.

Oh, up on a bookshelf

Click Click Click

Down through the aisles

Comes a best seller’s pick.

I can enjoy this countdown!

How are you going to celebrate Christmas this year? This might be the year to relax and allow the quiet beauty of the first Christmas be your inspiration.

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels.

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers; the 2015 president of the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, & Love chapter; a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.

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Redemption in The Hunger Games?

I’m reading James Scott Bell’s The Art of War for Writers again (excellent book) and flipped open to page 104 today: “The writer who understands redemption is on the border of enduring fiction.”

I read this three days after seeing The Hunger Games, a movie that disturbed me greatly—and, truth be told, still does.

I think I’m beginning to understand why the movie so bothers me: No redemption—or is there?

Literary redemption

Redemption Scene from The Shawshank Redemption

I have not read the books. I saw the movie with my wife, a children’s librarian, because I thought it would be an interesting experiment—a movie buff who hasn’t read the book watching the movie with a reader who generally doesn’t appreciate movies. Plus, it was at the bargain theatre.

From Bell’s book: “Flannery O’Connor talked about the need for a story to show ‘grace being offered.’ …  Redemption is bound up in choice. The right choice brings about redemption because the wrong choice will leave the character in a worse moral condition.”

First of all, what do I mean by redemption?

Redemption: The action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.

This includes, but is not limited to, the traditional Christian understanding of redemption: Where Jesus Christ laid down his life to save humans from their sins, and the price of those sins, eternal separation from God.

Lies and more lies

If you haven’t seen the movie or read the book—and you want to—you may want to stop reading.

Katniss and Peeta considering suicide

At the climactic moment, after being lied to by the games’ organizers that both could survive, Katniss (the book’s main character) and Peeta, a young man from her District and also a participant in the game, are faced with a horrific choice: one of them must kill the other to survive and win the game or they both must kill themselves, choosing to go out on their own terms.

There is no redemption—no way to save or be saved from sin, error, or evil. In fact, what Katniss’ gambit (pretending to be star-crossed lovers willing to commit suicide) does is force the game’s organizers (who are clearly evil) to offer a faux redemption and reinstate the rule change that two participants from the same District could win together. There will be repercussions for all involved.

But wait

Earlier in the movie, after finding Peeta injured and dying, and after hearing the lie that there could be two winners if they were from the same District, Katniss risks coming out into the open to retrieve the medicine Peeta needs to survive.

And even earlier, Peeta, seeing Katniss nearly starving to death and being in love with her, contrives a way to get a loaf of bread to her that saves her life. Self-sacrifice! There is redemption, then.

But Katniss doesn’t really love Peeta the way he loves her. She has another young man back in District 12 she’s in love with. But she knows the “star-crossed lovers battling against insurmountable odds to survive” is a powerful myth that will resonate with the television audience watching the game.

So her love is “ends justifies means” love—she will love Peeta if it means they have a better chance at survival.

What does it all mean?

The phrase the end justifies the means refers to the morality of an action and is based solely on the outcome of that action and not on the action itself. Example: Telling a lie that has no negative effect on anyone, and saves someone grief, is good.

But there can be no redemption in a lie. “O how terrible for those who confuse good with evil, right with wrong, light with dark, sweet with bitter.” Isaiah 5:20 (The Voice)

Think about that quote from Bell again: “Redemption is bound up in choice. The right choice brings about redemption because the wrong choice will leave the character in a worse moral condition.”

At the end of the story, all of the characters are in a worse situation than they were before—alive, but morally compromised. I walked out of the theatre, dejected and oppressed rather than encouraged and freed.

At the end of the Harry Potter movies, even the darker ones, good triumphed—often at cost, but it triumphed. That does not happen here.

What do you think? Have I missed something essential by having not read the books?

Michael Ehret loves to play with words and as editor of the ACFW Journal, he is enjoying his playground. He also plays with words as a freelance editor/writer at WritingOnTheFineLine.com, where each Tuesday he takes a writer Into The Edit, pulling back the veil on the editing process. He has edited several nonfiction books, played with words as a corporate communicator, and reported for The Indianapolis Star.

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BOOK CLUB TALK WITH ROBERT WHITLOW

I caught up with Robert Whitlow and his wife at the ICRS conference in Atlanta this summer and was able to ask him a few questions. I wanted to know how he felt about book clubs/reading groups.

What have been the benefits to you in having relationships with reading groups?

Reading groups help keep me excited about writing! I also enjoy hearing reader perspectives on my books. Sometimes they find nuggets in the stories I wish I’d put in on purpose! Groups are also key in generating word of mouth buzz about a book or author.

Which type of book club meeting do you prefer? Why?

I enjoy clubs that read a specific novel to discuss. That works better than a general question and answer format about writing or multiple books.

Where would you like to see your relationship with reading group grow? How do you think your goals can be met? If so, how?

I want to be as available as I can to reading groups consistent with my writing schedule and law practice. I don’t have any numerical goals, but if a group of people takes the time to read and discuss one of my novels, I want to enrich the experience for them.

Do you have a set size a reading group has to be before you'll talk to them on the phone or in person? What do you feel most comfortable doing?

A group needs to have around 10 readers to warrant a visit or phone call. I like in person visits, but of course that’s not always possible.

Do you learn about your book and yourself from book club meetings? If so what?

I often receive insights about stories from readers. They may see symbolism I missed or identify character traits that surprise me. This is a lot of fun.

What do you think about ebooks and future sales of your book? How will authors do book signings with an ebook reading crowd?

E-book use is now expanding exponentially. I have many e-book readers and hope this grows. I don’t know of any technology that allows e-book signings.

Did you learn more about your characters than you original wrote about? Have you been surprised by readers reactions to one of your books? Characters? If so, which ones?

The strongest reactions I receive are to Jimmy. When I wrote the book I underestimated the maternal attraction female readers would have with the

main character. Thankfully, there is an alternate ending available at robertwhitlow.com.

Has your book club experience - getting feed back from reading groups - helped you in writing future books? If so, how has it helped you?

All feedback is valuable. One thing a writer must do is observe life because that’s the raw material for stories. Book clubs are a part of that process, whether from an interesting person who attends or a comment from a reader.

Could you please tell us about things you are working on? Are any of your books being made into movies?

Thanks for asking. We are currently working on the script for a movie based on my book JIMMY! We hope to have it in theatres in about a year.

We have made the Movie The Trial and The List and are excited that they are available on RED BOX! The Trial is your classic courtroom drama that everyone can relate to.

Water’s Edge is Robert Whitlow’s New Release. It’s a Stand – Alone based on the scripture found in Jeremiah 16:16 about the Ancient Path. It’s when a modern man looses his life for the same of the kingdom. It’s coming to terms with Trust to not be killed!

Robert Whitlow is thrilled about his new project. He is handing in the final chapters of his new book titled,

The Choice.

Book Description: A mysterious prophecy leads a young girl to an impossible choice.

In 1974, sixteen-year-old Sandy Lincoln left town to hide her pregnancy and encountered a strange woman who told her she was carrying twin boys. The woman warns that should the sons ever meet, one of them will die.

Thirty years pass and Sandy is now a high-school teacher. When one of her students confides in her that she's pregnant, Sandy follows protocol and advises her to meet with the school's guidance counselor.

What ensues is a legal battle over what right a public school teacher—or counselor—has to influence a young woman on her reproductive decisions.

In this heart-warming and inspiring novel, Whitlow shows readers that the love of a mother knows no bounds.

Robert had tears in his eyes as he talked passionately about The Choice. I could tell this story and it's characters touched him deeply. He liked how Waters Edge, a John Gresham type novel, turned out but I could tell The Choice was a story of his heart. I also got the impression he experienced something different writing this novel he hasn't experienced with his other books. I know he hopes the characters and the story move the hearts and minds of his readers in the same way he was moved. I can't wait to read The Choice, it's scheduled to release in 2012.

For a look at Robert Whitlow and his other books - check out his Website RobertWhitlow@sellershinshaw.com

Nora St.Laurent - The Book Club Network www.bookfun.org

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