The transition of books to the big screen is nothing new to our society. Just as 2015 saw the release of book-based hits such as The Martian and Fifty Shades of Grey, so 2016 will continue the pattern, with films like The Fifth Wave and 13 Hours hitting theaters this month. Books have become well-respected tools for creating a better Hollywood. However, films should be just as respected for their ability to create better writers.
As an undergraduate creative writing student, it has become an expectation for me to have a list of favorite authors or be able to quote Kurt Vonnegut the way Stephen King releases books. It is only fair that the key to progress within the writing community is to support and invest oneself in the work of other writers. Nevertheless, us writers should also invest ourselves in the dynamics of rapid, straightforward storytelling — which is embodied in film.
The main skill films help writers develop is attention to progress. Most directors and screenwriters know that the majority of people are not willing to sit through a five-hour film. Thus, every scene must have a purpose. This is a vital objective to keep in mind when writing a novel or short story. With most writing courses placing emphasis on literary techniques, it is easy to become more invested in diction than with actually moving the plot forward. Films reminds the writer that while a novel ought to have some degree of literary complexity, the goal at the end of each chapter, page, or sentence is simple: keep the story moving.
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SOURCE: The Huffington Post
Mycah Hazel
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