Great post, Miko. I too studied screenwriting and agree the craft can be a useful model for fiction–certainly for interesting fiction, as opposed, unfortunately, to the kind of “literary” fiction where not much happens and the stakes, if any, are obscured by the writer's elegant prose.
Aristotle had the right idea. You can have great characters and a great setting, but if there is no plot, no goal, no challenge, no obstacles, you just have a very nice Christmas letter. (I added the Christmas letter part.) It's what happens to those characters and who they become because of those challenges that make the story. Great post.
Interesting and informative post intertwining screenplays and telling a good story! And your point about death is well taken.
Learning the basics of writing is always a challenge. The lessons I learned from screenplays have made it a bit easier, in my opinion. And even though I detest formulaic writing, these formulas are so general that they merely provide some structure, or guidance, without hampering creativity.
Excellent point, Ann. Screenwriting techniques do improve the writer's ability to 'show, don't tell'.
I love the formulas you provided. An easy way to remember. Looking forward to parts II and III!
Glad they worked for you. I worried about them causing high school math flashbacks (ha ha), but they can be helpful.
Formulas weren't as meaningful to me as others, but the example you gave of the mom and the earthquake really made sense. And death was clearly the high stake. But what is metaphorical death? Do you mean something that is a huge disappointment to someone, like losing a ballgame for a kid? Perhaps a jail sentence, with out a death penalty? Looking forward to the next post.
Metaphorical death is being separated from the one(s) you love, not being able to save someone from a horrible fate, being or becoming unable to love. A divorced father who has to find a way to be with his children, a therapist trying to prevent her young patient from committing suicide, a self-centered bachelor suddenly thrust into fatherhood wanting to bond with his child. Yes, in some cases it can be losing the ballgame if you already feel like a loser in a greater sense and this would be the final blow to your spirit. However, metaphorical death is more than losing the game. It's losing your soul.
Great post, Miko – without an engrossing story, the words – no matter how beautifully arranged – are just words.