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Books, Theatre and Movie Connections
March 30, 2024
Theatre is one of the oldest and most respected of the performing arts. Globally, it goes back thousands of years. It preceded the widespread availability of printed books by a wide margin of time.
Connections between books, theatre and movies are well established and have become stronger and increasingly interlinked. Audiobooks are among the latest examples. As a result, spoken words and printed words are both reaching an increasingly wide international audience. I think we’d all agree that’s a good thing.
Books, theatre and movies feed from, and reinforce, each other. In her March 27th 2024 newsletter The Hot Sheet, author and publishing industry guru Jane Friedman notes that five of the most recent ten Oscar nominees for best picture were based on books. Also, that some of the biggest TV series in recent months are based on books. Encouragingly for authors, she points out that producers look to sign option deals very early, even before publication.
In terms of enhancing our trade craft, what can we as authors learn from these other forms of storytelling?
Writers can learn a lot from observing how characters are developed and interact on stage. In particular, as authors we can improve our writing skills by observing how actors (and their directors) use sometimes exceptional skills to make scenes come to life. They do so through their stage craft and interplays between characters. Not just one-on-one interactions, but using the whole cast to help present the story.
There’s a golden rule for all actors on stage. Listen, never switch off, and always be prepared to react. When it’s done well, every actor helps visually and audibly to reinforce the scene. They help inform the audience of what’s going on. Sometimes, it’s performed brilliantly and makes for spellbinding entertainment. As writers, we can learn from this.
Here’s a suggestion. Buy tickets and attend a stage play. Imagine that it’s your story being presented. Watch how the play is being enacted. Ask yourself, are my characters too wooden? Does the dialogue flow together—even in situations of conflict—to help tell my story? Can I bring out supporting role characters to add spice to the plot? How can I give the audience important insights into my characters’ thoughts? They needn’t be words; a character’s raised eyebrow or scowl can be even more effective. It works on stage, and in books too.
Back at your desk, review your characters and their dialogues. Can you improve their performances? Do you need to rewrite scenes or improve sections of your book? By learning from actors on stage (and by implication from those very talented directors behind the scenes), you’re thinking like a playwright. You’re not trying to do their job, but you are starting to think in the same language.
Even if your book doesn’t become optioned, even if you don’t want it to be, most likely you’ll produce a better product and a more memorable story for your readers.