Sarah Gibbard Cook
  • Home
  • About
  • Writing
  • Contact

Stage Business

4/29/2019

4 Comments

 
Good novels and good movies draw the reader/viewer in. They generate emotion and make readers/viewers care. Writing conveys more unspoken thoughts and leaves more visuals to the imagination. Film does the opposite, while paring down complex story to fit within two hours.

Revising an overly introspective passage of fiction a few months ago, I wanted to make it read more like a movie. At the University of Wisconsin Writers’ Institute earlier this month, Tim Storm and Ann Garvin told why this doesn’t work. Stage business in a movie—turning the key in the ignition, taking a bite of salad—adds realism without forcing itself on your attention. On the printed page, by contrast, stage business interrupts the story. Tim and Ann advised novelists to convey only details the character would notice, leaving readers to fill in the background.
4 Comments
Connie Gill
4/29/2019 12:20:14 pm

Good advice! Thank you for sharing it.

Reply
Sarah link
4/29/2019 12:28:28 pm

Great to see you at the Institute, Connie. Lots of good advice there to draw on as we go about our respective revisions.

Reply
Beth Genné
4/30/2019 03:25:49 pm

Like your new heading! I also have a comment about last week's blogs -- or actually a poem which I invite you or any other reader to emend or continue. Maybe it will be the beginning of an epic.

Listen my child and I will tell
The heroic tale of Sibyl L
For twice (thrice?) the ride of Paul Revere
She awakened patriots far and near

Reply
Sarah link
4/30/2019 08:52:45 pm

Love your epic poem opening, Beth! You've found the perfect solution. Ludington's hard to rhyme, but the initial works brilliantly. Hope you don't mind if I copy this over to the comments for last week's post, for anyone who is following.

Glad you like the new page banner, too.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I'm a historian who writes novels and literary nonfiction. My home base is Madison, Wisconsin. 

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016

    RSS Feed


      ​get updates

    Sign up
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About
  • Writing
  • Contact