Comments on: Interview: A Conversation with Blake Snyder, Part 1 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/03/21/interview-a-conversation-with-blake-snyder-part-1/ About the craft and business of genre fiction Sat, 17 May 2008 10:05:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Edie http://writerunboxed.com/2008/03/21/interview-a-conversation-with-blake-snyder-part-1/#comment-66246 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 04:04:06 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/03/21/interview-a-conversation-with-blake-snyder-part-1/#comment-66246 Great interview! I'm so glad I read it, even if I'm late. I have Save the Cat! on my bookshelf above my desk, and I've even blogged about it a couple times. But I've learned a few things from this interview, especially at the end where Blake says the story has to be the most important thing that ever happened to your hero. (In my case, heroine.) I'm kind of stuck right now and will have to think about this. I'm guessing what I come up with will unstick me. And I'll read the book again! Great interview! I’m so glad I read it, even if I’m late. I have Save the Cat! on my bookshelf above my desk, and I’ve even blogged about it a couple times. But I’ve learned a few things from this interview, especially at the end where Blake says the story has to be the most important thing that ever happened to your hero. (In my case, heroine.)

I’m kind of stuck right now and will have to think about this. I’m guessing what I come up with will unstick me. And I’ll read the book again!

]]> by: Eric http://writerunboxed.com/2008/03/21/interview-a-conversation-with-blake-snyder-part-1/#comment-65776 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:16:06 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/03/21/interview-a-conversation-with-blake-snyder-part-1/#comment-65776 I've been hammering on structure and formula for years now. This was a good interview. Preaching to the choir for me. Maybe there'll be a few converts. ;) Writers love to fight structure -- they just want to follow the muse wherever it leads. I've never thought the two were incompatible, just... why not take where the muse leads you, and fit that into a structure? A lot of notions about artistic integrity and originality seem to come from a place of anti-structure and anti-hooks, as if the creator wants to make their work harder to read and more obscure. As if somehow that makes the work more unique... To me uniqueness comes from style and vision, which may or may not be dependent on the structure or hooks, depending on the story. Even if you follow a formula 100% you're still the one making all the creative choices... I’ve been hammering on structure and formula for years now.

This was a good interview. Preaching to the choir for me.

Maybe there’ll be a few converts. ;)

Writers love to fight structure — they just want to follow the muse wherever it leads. I’ve never thought the two were incompatible, just… why not take where the muse leads you, and fit that into a structure?

A lot of notions about artistic integrity and originality seem to come from a place of anti-structure and anti-hooks, as if the creator wants to make their work harder to read and more obscure. As if somehow that makes the work more unique…

To me uniqueness comes from style and vision, which may or may not be dependent on the structure or hooks, depending on the story. Even if you follow a formula 100% you’re still the one making all the creative choices…

]]> by: Therese Walsh http://writerunboxed.com/2008/03/21/interview-a-conversation-with-blake-snyder-part-1/#comment-65498 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:56:22 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/03/21/interview-a-conversation-with-blake-snyder-part-1/#comment-65498 I had a few light-bulb moments while reading Save the Cat. While I agree with you, Rob, that the novel must provide more info to dive into the inner worlds of the characters, I still think Blake's beat sheet can be used to create basic structure. I'm experimenting with this in a backwards way, using the beat sheet for my synopsis. So far, it's making the seemingly impossible task of creating a one-page synopsis do-able. Some other things I feel novelists can benefit from: * <b>Understanding the importance of the primal hook</b> and applying it to your work. * <b>Connecting to an emotional genre label.</b> I struggled with labeling my wip. It wasn't until Blake forced me to think of it in terms of his genre labels that I had a <em>rite-of-passage story </em>about death woven with a <em>rite-of-passage story </em>about adolescence. Because these descriptions tap into the primal idea of a rite of passage, people--including agents and editors--can identify with the concept immediately. Understanding all of this made writing my query much easier. * <b>Comparisons.</b> Examine successful works (books and films) that fall into your primal genre. Compare your work, and you may find parts of your story that are underdeveloped. I think the key here is <em>not</em> to compare voice or stay within your traditional genre (e.g. women's fiction or sci-fi); instead, find other works that tap into the same primal, no matter where they'd be shelved in a bookstore. I'm sure there are other ways Blake's genre labels and story structures can be used, but these are the first I've thought of. Many of his Immutable Laws of Screenplay Physics also seem usable for the novelist (explanation to come in next parts of this interview). Last thought, the next interview to go up after Blake will be with rom-com writer Billy Mernit, who DID use a rom-com screenwriter template and translate it directly for his novel. An interesting read. I hope you come back to read our Q&A (April 11). I had a few light-bulb moments while reading Save the Cat. While I agree with you, Rob, that the novel must provide more info to dive into the inner worlds of the characters, I still think Blake’s beat sheet can be used to create basic structure. I’m experimenting with this in a backwards way, using the beat sheet for my synopsis. So far, it’s making the seemingly impossible task of creating a one-page synopsis do-able.

Some other things I feel novelists can benefit from:

* Understanding the importance of the primal hook and applying it to your work.
* Connecting to an emotional genre label. I struggled with labeling my wip. It wasn’t until Blake forced me to think of it in terms of his genre labels that I had a rite-of-passage story about death woven with a rite-of-passage story about adolescence. Because these descriptions tap into the primal idea of a rite of passage, people–including agents and editors–can identify with the concept immediately. Understanding all of this made writing my query much easier.
* Comparisons. Examine successful works (books and films) that fall into your primal genre. Compare your work, and you may find parts of your story that are underdeveloped. I think the key here is not to compare voice or stay within your traditional genre (e.g. women’s fiction or sci-fi); instead, find other works that tap into the same primal, no matter where they’d be shelved in a bookstore.

I’m sure there are other ways Blake’s genre labels and story structures can be used, but these are the first I’ve thought of. Many of his Immutable Laws of Screenplay Physics also seem usable for the novelist (explanation to come in next parts of this interview).

Last thought, the next interview to go up after Blake will be with rom-com writer Billy Mernit, who DID use a rom-com screenwriter template and translate it directly for his novel. An interesting read. I hope you come back to read our Q&A (April 11).

]]> by: theamcginnis http://writerunboxed.com/2008/03/21/interview-a-conversation-with-blake-snyder-part-1/#comment-65477 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 03:35:57 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/03/21/interview-a-conversation-with-blake-snyder-part-1/#comment-65477 well, comparing "atonement" screenplay to the novel shows how difficult it is to translate a good novel into a good screenplay/movie. showing 'context' is hard. when you watch a successful movie, you can see how the screenplay unfolds - a good example is 'the 40 yr old virgin' - a seemingly innane movie, yet the screenplay was so well done - and that is why the movie was so successful. i just watched the masterpiece version of "emma" but still, the gwenyth paltrow version of 'emma' was far superior, because the screenplay was well written and the pacing superior. and yet, the same story, same characters, similar dialogue. it's all fascinating. good interview, WU, looking forward to part 2! well, comparing “atonement” screenplay to the novel shows how difficult it is to translate a good novel into a good screenplay/movie. showing ‘context’ is hard. when you watch a successful movie, you can see how the screenplay unfolds - a good example is ‘the 40 yr old virgin’ - a seemingly innane movie, yet the screenplay was so well done - and that is why the movie was so successful. i just watched the masterpiece version of “emma” but still, the gwenyth paltrow version of ‘emma’ was far superior, because the screenplay was well written and the pacing superior. and yet, the same story, same characters, similar dialogue. it’s all fascinating. good interview, WU, looking forward to part 2!

]]> by: Rob http://writerunboxed.com/2008/03/21/interview-a-conversation-with-blake-snyder-part-1/#comment-65466 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:22:33 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2008/03/21/interview-a-conversation-with-blake-snyder-part-1/#comment-65466 I've read SAVE THE CAT and enjoyed it, but my interest is writing novels and I've yet figured out a way to translate his techniques to prose form. It just seems like there needs to be MORE story for a novel, and Mr. Snyder's tools lend themselves better to a streamlined tale best suited for screenplays. Be interesting to see what he has to say about that. I’ve read SAVE THE CAT and enjoyed it, but my interest is writing novels and I’ve yet figured out a way to translate his techniques to prose form. It just seems like there needs to be MORE story for a novel, and Mr. Snyder’s tools lend themselves better to a streamlined tale best suited for screenplays. Be interesting to see what he has to say about that.

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