Turning Books into Movies
Write A Way: Journey to Creativity
A New Direction for Your Healing Writing:
Turning Books into Movies
By Sandra Lee Schubert
"If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write."
~ Stephen King,
On Writing
Hey, I wrote a movie! Okay, not really but according to
Erin Collazo Miller of About.com,
in 2007, more than 70 books were made into movies. I knew that No Country for Old Men was adapted from a book by Cormac McCarthy, then there was Atonement by Ian McEwan and of course Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini but 70 books! Now that is just fabulous.
View the list
and see for yourself the many authors' books that made it to the silver screen.
Academy Award-winning screenwriter
Diablo Cody
who wrote the screenplay for the movie, Juno was previously known as a blogger with an eclectic background as a stripper. In fact, her chronicling of her experiences brought her some fame. At the age of 24, Cody wrote her memoir
On Writing
Candy Girl: A Year in The Life of an Unlikely Stripper
and from the success of that book she was encouraged to write a screenplay.
Maybe your background is not that eclectic but I bet you have something interesting to share with the world.
"... soon to give a pure offering of my art,
Captured eternally by sacred celluloid
In the split second of an eye's blink."
~ From a poem by
Davidson Garrett, Movie Extra in Central Park
I haven't write movie type stuff. I am the non-fiction, self-help, reference section kind of writer. Yet maybe I could expand my horizons a bit more. Stretch my creative muscles and try out some other genres. I am a member of two writing groups, (I encourage you to join some too) and in those groups I have tried some other styles of writing. One thing I have rediscovered is that I can be a funny writer. I am always surprised when I read something I wrote and people laugh out loud. Not that I didn't mean it to be humorous I just don't expect it to be really funny. Are you like that too? Writing something and not realizing the gift you have created?
If you take a look at the
movie list for 2007,
the books covered different genres. You have books based on actual events, historical events, real people, and fantasy, science fiction, from short stories, novellas and fiction. The range of books is impressive and somewhere in that list you should be able to find your niche. Your book may not yet be written but the idea is still there to be nourished and brought into existence. Where do you fit in?
What is your style of writing and how could you expand?
Look at the authors
on the list
they are all normal people like you and me. Stephen King was a hard-working guy before he became well-known. Diablo Cody was blogging along before being nominated by the Academy for her screen writing. Both have diverse experience and backgrounds and were able to put their writing into action.
What could you write now?
Could you create a blog on life in the big city (Remember
Sex and the City)?
How about the joys of suburban motherhood? People love a good family comedy. How about creating characters like JK Rowling did in the
Harry Potter series?
Think about how she began writing her books and where she is now. Couldn't you write from your kitchen table or a coffee shop?
Another real life example...
A friend and fellow poet
Davidson Garret
decided to self-publish his book of poetry,
King Lear of the Taxi: Musings of a New York City Actor/Taxi Driver.
It is s slim volume that still has legs two years later. The volume covers his real life experiences of being both an actor and taxi driver in New York City. Davidson routinely updates me on readings and video productions, articles that have been done on his book. I just received an email from the UK with a
youtube film
highlighting the plight of taxi drivers across the globe. This youtube version features a wonderful reading by Davidson, clips from the movie and a powerful and graphic ending.
Poetry gets short shrift in the world but here is an example of someone who parlays his life experience into multiple formats.
Think about how else you could adapt
your own healing writing
into a book.
- Might this further your own personal healing?
- Could you create your own film version of your work?
- Might you post something to youtube.com or tubemogul.com so hundreds or thousands of people might see your work?
Looking back over the
movie list from 2007
we can see books have a longer shelf life. Your book or screenplay could make it to the big screen and influence millions. Does that idea scare or inspire you?
This Month's Creative Writing Assignment:
Part I
Review the 2007 movie list and determine what books or movies interest you. What appeals to you? Take one of the books and read it with an eye on structure, content, theme, length. Read it for technique.
- How does the author move his character along?
- How does he plot out the action in the story?
Really tear apart the book and figure out how the story was created. Match the movie to the book.
- What would you do differently?
- How did the book translate to film?
- What did they remove?
- What was done differently?
- What worked and didn't work?
Part II
Now, think about what you have written (or would like to write) and review or revise it against the book and film you have just researched.
Sandra Schubert is the creator and instructor for the Self-Healing Expressions online writing course
Writing for Life: Creating a Story of Your Own.
This online journaling course features creative writing lessons and interactive Web Tools.
Copyright © 2008 Sandra Lee Schubert. All rights reserved. If you are interested in publishing this article, please email
.
An invitation from Sandra:
Embark on a journey of writing a life and the telling your own healing tale! This life affirming journaling course coupled with scrapbooking techniques guides you on an inward journey of self-discovery and self-healing.
Learn more.
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