Hope everyone is well.

The last couple of years I've been focused on prose and I've done a lot of research into writing styles. Wanted to share an observation about communication style that applies to both prose and speaking, and IMO scriptwriting.

Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in 6 words. He came up with this.

For sale. Baby Shoes. Never worn.

I think we all understand the writing principle on display in this sample. But there is more to think about when it comes to writing(and speaking). Consider this next example from Gary Provost.

This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety. Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.

This shows there is a crucial aspect to writing that involves rhythm. And rhythm does not break down into simple rules that many of us would like. In fact, its main rule is variation...variation which can be achieved in all sorts of ways.

I was actually just thinking about this while watching a sports radio show on ESPN(Mike and Mike). The host was reading a commercial from a sponsor, so it was words he hadn't written. But he created variation by frequently adding emphasis and tone to his words. If I had been the one reading that commercial out loud it would have sounded monotonous...dull. The simple trick of varying the emphasis created a sense of rhythm. Made it much easier to listen to. I have no idea why, but that seems to be how the human mind works. We need that variety. It turns out we are not machines,

How does this apply to scripts? In many ways, I think. The elements that make for good writing(and speaking) apply to screenwriting as much as anything.

Hemingway demonstrated in the sample the principle that a story should be told in as few words as possible.

But it's important to recognize the limitations of rules like this. No one would want to read a story that was written entirely in sentence fragments. If the reader falls asleep we've lost him!

And I fear I've lost anyone reading this long post. Sorry, it appears I have not fully absorbed the lesson yet.

Using variation and rhythm works for any form of communication, so it also applies to screenwriting. Sometimes overly applying "rules" gets in the way of creating that rhythm, and the result is awkward or lifeless writing.

Just food for thought, not trying to tweak anyone...go Red Sox

Kev

The quality of actual writing is often overlooked in screenplays:

The two best books on technical writing ever written.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Writi.....=writing+non+fiction

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Writi.....ywords=writing+tools


Worth reading about Deep POV and other novelist stuff, as well.

The POV issue was one of the most interesting aspects of switching to prose. In film, the camera is the POV, at least as far as describing what is going on. In most modern prose, the POV comes from one character.

I've converted several scripts to prose and that challenge really comes up. You can always write in omniscient, but you lose a lot of power in being able to pull the reader into the story.

Thanks for the links.

This was a very interesting post - enlightening. Thanks for sharing. Good stuff.

Quoted from leitskev The POV issue was one of the most interesting aspects of switching to prose. In film, the camera is the POV, at least as far as describing what is going on. In most modern prose, the POV comes from one character. I've converted several scripts to prose and that challenge really comes up. You can always write in omniscient, but you lose a lot of power in being able to pull the reader into the story. Thanks for the links.

Deep POV is something different. It's a form of third person subjective, but designed to make the audience feel what the character is feeling, rather than merely describing or telling us. Which, of course, is key to film as well as prose.

https://www.autocrit.com/editing/library/emotional-depth-4-deep-point-of-view/

http://theeditorsblog.net/2011/11/16/deep-pov-whats-so-deep-about-it/


Those aren't the best links, but it's a start.

In both prose and screenwriting, it's a way of getting away from the "He's nervous" "He laughs" kind of writing, which is cumbersome and slows down the read and the ability of the reader to really connect with the character.

This technique is also called Free Independent Style, I believe, but I like the sound of "deep POV", cool. I usually call it "close POV". E.M. Forster has a great book that you can get for free on kindle. Of course, it was written in the 1920s, so that's just a starting point, but it's really worth it if you're interested in prose.

The idea is to write in 3rd person in a way that blends authoritative voice with the voice and thoughts of the POV character. It allows the story to bring the reader in and experience it at a more emotional level.

As for screenwriting, the POV is the camera. We see only what it sees.

Good writing engages the reader, pulls her and, makes her feel. It does so in a way where the words are not in the way of the story, but a script is comprised of words, so those words need to bring the story alive.

I think a lot of awkward writing results from writers trying to follow "rules" too rigidly. Not that screenwriting should be exactly the same as prose, but the principles of good writing...principles which include rhythm, fragments, variation, passive voice, the verb to be.

Again thanks for the links, read the first will read the other later!

I think it spoils a read when either staccato frags are over used ...as well when prose-like paragraphs are overused, but I like a good story. When the writing bogs down the reader, it interrupts the flow of the story IMO. I love to see a writer use both of these types of writing and if it's done at the right time it is great. For example, I've seen a story go from normal sentences to short frags when the tension is increasing. I personally do not like to read a fight scene that is told over laborious descriptive sentences. It slows me down.

As far as POV...wow that is a doozy..as I've tried to go into writing some prose and it just is very hard when all I've ever written is poetry or screenplays. I do love it though when I read a book or a script that does something out of the ordinary. It catches my attention and not always in a bad (grammar police) way.

Good thoughts here Kevin. I'm glad to see you are back!