 The film was adapted by the writer Nick Dear , who considered the story more mature than Austen 's other novels . He characterised it as one of realism and truthfulness , particularly in telling the story of two people separated and then reunited . As Austen 's narrative style conveys Anne 's thoughts internally , Dear and Root felt compelled to express the character 's emotions using comparatively little dialogue . Persuasion was shot in chronological order , allowing the actress to portray Anne 's development from being downtrodden to happy and blossoming . 
