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Miselle's avatar

Alexandra

Although I dream of my manuscripts being published and so darn popular they becomes films, I find screenwriting to be beyond my capabilities. However, your STFA offers so many valuable hints for us novel writers! You're a treasure. Thanks.

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Alexandra Sokoloff's avatar

Thank you, and happy to help! I always tell authors - you don't have to learn screenwriting to see your books turned into films. Statistically far more books are sold and turned into movies than screenplays. So - write those books!

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Jade Eby's avatar

The film I keep going back to that is most like the book I'm working on is Se7en. It's a film that has stayed with me since the first time I watched it, yet also holds up through many re-watches. From the bleakness, to the smart serial killer to the twist at the end - it's just a whole vibe. More importantly though, I want my readers to feel that same "WTF just happened?" that many viewers felt after watching Se7en.

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Alexandra Sokoloff's avatar

Well, Se7en is an excellent touchstone film for learning structure - as well as being a perfect example of high concept, it really is what I think of as a META structure, in the way it takes the seven deadly sins and neatly transposes them into the 8-sequence structure. I am NOT a fan of the pattern serial killer subgenre, but there's no way not to admire the precision at work.

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