Is it a Script or Romance Novel?

Hopefully WLCT

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Hello, I'm looking for advice. Is it just my wishful thinking or my imagination but I keep "seeing" my WIP as a movie. Does everyone see their work as a visual thing? How do I know if it's more script than novel? Thanks !! P.S. I love this site,it's so helpful and nonjudgemental.
 

Latina Bunny

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Can you see your work adapted to movie format?

Have you tried writing it in script format to see if it works for you?

I think most romances can easily be adapted to movie format. There are many romantic movies and romantic/romance-comedies (rom-com) out there.

I'm very visual, so I totally understand. When I was in elementary school, my stories tend to have drawings of characters and scenes thoughout. (I tend to write and draw.) As I got older, I still drew some of my characters.

I tend to enjoy reading the manga and Light Novel format, so I was always daydreaming I could do something like that.

But I love novels as well, especially MG/YA stuff, and my drawing was still amateur, so I stuck with writing as I got older.

I can see some of my stuff as movies, particularly my YAish stuff. I don't know if I want to do the whole script thing, though...
 
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Hopefully WLCT

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Thanks for validating me,sometimes I think it's just me. How would I find the instructions on how to write in script format ? Is there a section on this sight?
 

Latina Bunny

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Check out the sticky threads.

Here's one that might be useful for you:
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/sho...are-online-scripts-recommends-where-to-submit

To look at some examples of scripts (which really does help you get used to the format, trust me), there are also websites that put up some movie scripts online:
*Article on 10 Best Websites to Download/Read Free Movie Scripts:
https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/10-great-websites-download-movie-scripts/

http://www.imsdb.com

http://www.simplyscripts.com/movie.html

http://www.script-o-rama.com

Google can help as well, of course. :)
 
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dinky_dau

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Have you tried writing it in script format to see if it works for you?

I think most romances can easily be adapted to movie format. There are many romantic movies and romantic/romance-comedies (rom-com) out there.

I'm very visual, so I totally understand. When I was in elementary school, my stories tend to have drawings of characters and scenes thoughout. (I tend to write and draw.) As I got older, I still drew some of my characters.
...

Good advice from Latina Bunny. I just have two of my own very minor opinions to contribute.

To my way of thinking, we're just not in a great era for romantic comedies. 'Many' is a vague term here. How many? Not so many when compared to previous decades. From what I can tell the genre is dying a slow death. What's been taking over is a sort of adolescent, frat-house, bathroom-humor comedy.

Movies are 'visual', yes indeed. I'm the first to reaffirm this basic fact. But one ought not overlook that scripts are usually dialog-centric. They're very verbal. When a script is good--yes--visuals often appear to the reader. But the slightest misstep in the verbality will trip them up. Its the writing which has to be superb.

Romantic comedies--probably more so than any other genre--rely on strong, strong, dialogue. One of the toughest areas to conquer for any writer. You have all our best wishes for success, I'm sure. Our envy, too. I'd be interested in hearing how your project progresses.
 

Roxxsmom

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To my way of thinking, we're just not in a great era for romantic comedies. 'Many' is a vague term here. How many? Not so many when compared to previous decades. From what I can tell the genre is dying a slow death. What's been taking over is a sort of adolescent, frat-house, bathroom-humor comedy.

Actually, it's superhero, thrillers, and other action movies that have taken over. I heard a piece (interview with an author who had written a book on the topic) on public radio that proposed a hypothesis, at least, about why this is. Romantic comedies and other slice of everyday life kinds of movies tend to have themes and humor that is very culture specific to the US and other English-speaking countries. But studios feel it's not enough these days for a movie to do well in the US, Canada, UK etc. The Russian and Chinese markets are quite important, and they love superhero movies as much as we do. They work pretty well with subtitles and for people who don't speak English as a first language because their plots are pretty obtuse and the dialog isn't that nuanced.

I'm guessing that raunchier, more juvenile comedies would also do better overseas as well. Not because people in other countries have raunchy, juvenile tastes, but because they're easier to follow.

This also explains why the number of women in speaking roles in movies has diminished in the last decade or so, since action movies tend to have male heavy casts. By modern standards, even a very popular (in the US) romantic comedy will be less successful than another type of movie. It's a frustrating issue. When a big studio does make a romantic comedy, it's usually released to far less hype and goes to video pretty quickly. Of course independent film makers and ones who are catering to a smaller audience are still out there, making movies of different types, but they can't compete with the big studios in terms of budget or volume.

I wish I could cite a link to the interview, but I can't remember the name of the author or book now, and when I do a keyword search on the pri and npr sites, it doesn't come up. :rant:
 
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dinky_dau

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Actually, it's superhero, thrillers, and other action movies that have taken over.

Oh I totally agree with that; for certain. But I was just speaking on what's transpiring strictly in the field of comedy.
When comedies do come out these days, they are rarely what i think of as a rom-com.

Enjoyed your reply!