A single storytelling medium is called prose fiction, and it is characterized by the use of one line of text to convey dialogue and action. There is no effective way to combine visual and auditory elements in a story. For instance, if you had an argument in a kitchen between a loud Italian-American family, you would not be able to create a coherent visual and auditory experience.
The dialogue in both the script and prose versions looks similar, but the screenplay allows for more depth of storytelling. This is because the writing allows for more layered conflict.
In addition to being able to add commentary, the writer also needs to take the reader out of the action. Even if it’s only for a brief moment, the audience will still split second if they are still mentally separated from the events taking place.
A voice-over can add additional commentary to the action, as the family’s argument intensifies. At the same time, the teenager uses a voice-over to address the audience, expressing how embarrassed he is by his parents.
The point is that film and screenwriting allow for multiple levels of conflict and characterization to occur at the same time. This is why traditional prose writing tends to handle these issues asynchronously.
Adding visual and emotional layers to a story is another way to enhance the storytelling experience. However, in short stories or books, an author cannot simultaneously describe two sets of images. This is because writing in this medium is asynchronous. For instance, a prose writer could easily describe two sets of images, but the reader would still have to come up with a way to interpret them both at the same time.
If you read books or screenplays from the 1980s, you might have noticed that many of them feature the “Cut To:” technique, which is a type of writing that is commonly used for dramatic cuts. Although this style has gone by the wayside, it is still a useful technique to show the concept of crosscutting.
A successful film requires collaboration. In addition to being able to create a compelling story, a successful writer also needs to work with his or her peers. Through the Iowa Writers’ Workshop’s method of literary criticism, writers can get a deeper understanding of their own work. This process involves going before their peers and criticizing the story’s flaws.
It can be very challenging to write a story, but it is also very good for criticism. Through this technique, writers can see their story from other people’s perspective without being forced to be defensive.
The concept of a writer’s room is an industry-standard method of developing television series, and it allows writers to work together with each other and discuss their ideas. This allows them to develop strong relationships with their characters. Disagreements about the character’s motives or the setting can also be beneficial from the endless discussions.
The layered conflict techniques featured in the above list can be used to enhance a story. Although it has its share of flaws, the film adaptation of High Fidelity by Nick Hornby was able to create an added depth to the story.
Despite the arguments that argue that writing screenplays has advantages over prose, literary fiction can still have its merits. This type of writing can help improve the quality of films and scripts.