I've talked with quite a few screenwriters over the years. Nearly all of them confessed that they always wanted to write novels, but they felt it was easier to write screenplays. Well, take it from someone who has written both: It is easier to write a novel than a good screenplay.
Screenplays do seem easier. You type in the location: INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT. You write a simple action: Joe and Lisa step into the room. Then you just write what they say. What could be easier? Most novice screenwriters think dialogue is the most important thing. Every screenwriter -- whether its true or not -- thinks they are good at writing dialogue. Ergo, screenwriting is easy.
What do screenwriters fear most about writing a novel? The descriptive passages. Guess what? If you haven't been writing great descriptive passages about your characters, locations, etc., your scripts probably aren't any good either.
While teaching screenwriting at the university level, I was often shocked by how often my students failed to properly set the stage for their scenes in their short scripts with descriptive passages. I'm not going to get into character descriptions. I've already devoted an entire blog to them. (Click Here.) However, succinct descriptive passages go a long way to revealing characters and relationships. For example, say you're writing a scene about a guy attending the wedding of his ex-girlfriend. Well, it makes a world of difference if he steps into the church wearing a suit like everyone else or shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. See how much a simple descriptive passage tells the reader about the situation? Your script should be filled with them. If you are a good screenwriter the necessary descriptive passages needed for a novel shouldn't be a problem for you.
Also, there are fewer rules to novel writing. Anyone who has ever read a book about screenwriting knows that there are old rules, new rules and rules about rules. The great high priest of screenwriting, the mighty William Goldman, once said, "Screenplays are structure." I couldn't agree more. With the possible exception of haikus, screenplays are perhaps the most formally structured form of writing imaginable. They're blueprints for a film, not final products.
The current screenwriting Bible is Blake Snyder's Save The Cat. I am not a huge fan of the book. I think it is one of the main culprits in the creeping homogenization of studio releases. (Can we please return to the cinema of the 1970s?) Still, whenever I write a script, I try to make my story fit into his beat sheet because that is what producers and studios now expect. Let me show you a little of the broad strokes of his beat sheet:
01 Opening Image [Page 1]
02 Theme Stated [Page 5]
03 Set-Up [Pages 1-10]
04 Catalyst [Page 12]
05 Debate [Page 12-25]
And so on and so on and so on.
And I'm not even touching on the formatting of screenplays. The arcane formatting itself makes it difficult for a layperson to even appreciate the story.
If you really want to see what a Hollywood reader expects in a screenplay, I suggest you listen to a three-page challenge on the Scriptnotes podcast. In those episodes, top screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin read and evaluate the first three pages of screenplays from listeners. Their breakdowns are amazing -- and frightening. Every time I listen to one, I realize I have to up my game yet again!
Granted, there are rules to novel writing too, but no one is going to throw your book away if you don't state the theme by page five.
Enough with the challenges in writing a script. Let's get to what's great about writing a novel.
The greatest thing is the ability to actually get into the head of your characters. I am not someone who demonizes voice over as a cheat in films, but, generally speaking, you can only reveal your character through words and actions in a screenplay. In a novel, you can jump right into their heads. That is so cool. To me, that's where the real drama lies. We, as human beings, wrestle with thoughts in our minds long before we finally manifest them in action or speech. The action and speech are only the byproducts of that internal struggle. After writing a memoir and a novel, I feel like I am only scratching the surface of a character when I go back to writing a script. I feel handcuffed, as if I were only using a fraction of the tools in the literary box.
Also, budget is not a problem. When you're writing a screenplay, especially on commission, you are usually writing to a certain budget or cast, or even specific locations and other very real parameters. When you write a novel, your imagination is your only limitation. You can set the story in Ancient Rome or one of the moons of Jupiter. Or both. Why not? You can also have dozens of characters without worrying about union rates or per diems. Writing a novel is amazingly liberating.
Also, perhaps most importantly, a novel reflects your vision. A movie will only be a shadow of your vision -- even if you direct it yourself. Don't get me wrong. I believe in collaboration. I have had actors, directors, producers, editors and composers add amazing insights to my scripts. Sadly, I have also had actors, directors, producers, editors and composers neuter and diminish my work. It's a crap shoot. It really is. When you're a screenwriter, you do the best job you can, but you have little to no influence over the production itself. The realization of your work literally rests in the hands of hundreds of people. And even if they do a great job, it will never be quite what you saw in your head. Trust me.
For good or evil, when your book is published you have no one to blame but yourself. Your vision has been realized. And that changes the creative landscape.
For example, the first producer I talked with about my novel Chapel Street wanted to change the gender of my main character from male to female. Why? Because he was putting together a four film package and he already had three scripts with male leads. He needed one with a female lead. And that would be mine. Yikes.
Chapel Street is a very personal project to me. I consider it a story about brothers, specifically my late brother Mark and myself. If I had written Chapel Street as a script alone, I would have felt obligated to walk away from that deal. However, I was willing to make the changes because I had already realized my personal vision with the novel. Fortunately, I didn't have to make that compromise. The producer decided my script couldn't be shot on the available budget. Great.
The next producer to read the script of Chapel Street said he liked it, but said he wanted to "amp up the first act." My response: Go for it!
I'm not sweating the changes to the script. Why because my vision of the story has already been actualized in my novel.
Fellow screenwriters, give novel writing a try. What do you have to lose?
Other Writing Tips:
Wanna see the video trailer for my novel Chapel Street? Here it is:
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