I have a little something special today - it's guest post! The first ever guest post on my blog! Yay!!! Me and Ivie collaborated and wrote posts for each other and had them go up on the same day (today) and if you go over to her place you'll see they are exactly about the same subject!
*cue cheering and clapping* Enter Ivie! (and be prepared for a feast of gifs. I don't know why I rarely use them but I just never have yet, so here's something special for you :D)
Before we get started, I just want to say thank you to Lisa for letting me guest post. This was her idea and I'm so glad we did it.
We all love a good movie just as we all love a good book. Both take us on an adventure that we desire to have, be it flying high on a dragon or hanging out with a huggable robot. Maybe it sends us spinning away to a city of emeralds.
Books and movies can kind of go hand in hand. While writing a book can be a bit trickier than writing a script, movies can inspire our writing. (Be warned that this post may contain spoilers.)
Here's Three Thing Movies Taught Me About My Writing
1. Actions have consequences
In books and in movies, characters go on a journey to fight for something they believe in. But, there will be times they need to make a choice. Sometimes, they make the wrong one. Take Big Hero Six, for example. Tadashi and Hiro see that the college is on fire. Tadashi makes a split second decision to run inside to save Professor Callaghan. He will have to face the consequence of running into a burning building.
Another example can be taken from How to Train Your Dragon 2. Stoick pushes Hiccup out of the way as the possessed Toothless shoots his plasma blast. The result is Stoick being shot with the blast. His action has consequence.
Or the fact that Hiccup lost his leg to fight the Red Death dragon. That also had serious consequences that he has to live with.
Characters in a book should face the consequence, good or bad, to their actions. If not, the world and plot may seem plastic and unrealistic.
2. Stick To Your Beliefs
Sticking to our own values is important. Its especially important for your character to stick to their beliefs. Hiccup in How To Train Your Dragon defended his beliefs in the moment he throws off his viking helmet while in the battle dome and says he's not one of them (the vikings).
In How To Train Your Dragon 2, Hiccup flies out of the building at the last moment to go find Drago Bludvist and talk to him. He hopes he can convince Drago to like dragons. His strong belief that dragons are friends is what carries him to fight for those beliefs, against his father's wishes. And Astrid's belief in Hiccup is what causes her to follow him.
In Big Hero Six, Hiro wants to annihilate the enemy. The others didn't agree to that and put a stop to it. Hiro and Baymax storm out. Hiro's outlook changes in this experience. When his chance comes again to destroy the enemy, he doesn't take it, but they apprehend him instead.
In Big Hero Six, Hiro wants to annihilate the enemy. The others didn't agree to that and put a stop to it. Hiro and Baymax storm out. Hiro's outlook changes in this experience. When his chance comes again to destroy the enemy, he doesn't take it, but they apprehend him instead.
Yes, this could make him look weak, but it actually takes great strength to resist that. I won't give up too many details for those of you who haven't seen the movie. Its a great movie, you should really see it.
3. Don't make the romance too dependent
In How To Train Your Dragon 2, Hiccup and Astrid are hardly together the entire movie. In Race To The Edge, the Netflix series, they aren't super dependent on each other, aside from the fact that they are a team.
Romance doesn't need to be touchy feel-y. Your character should still bear the same traits that they had before.
When you enter a relationship, you do change, but that change should be for the better. That person doesn't purposely change you, but you change because its something you see that needed changing. If someone is trying to change you, that relationship is toxic. This can be good in writing, in some cases, if your MC or whatever character was dealing with a toxic relationship comes out stronger than they were before.
Your character's personality will only change to the events around them. Obviously this tip will be useful only when writing a non toxic relationship. Should you be writing your MC into a toxic relationship, you'll need to show them realizing that this isn't the way things should be. This is ultimately change.
Overall, your character should still be independent. They should be able to hang out with their friends, even if they have a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Romance doesn't need to be touchy feel-y. Your character should still bear the same traits that they had before.
When you enter a relationship, you do change, but that change should be for the better. That person doesn't purposely change you, but you change because its something you see that needed changing. If someone is trying to change you, that relationship is toxic. This can be good in writing, in some cases, if your MC or whatever character was dealing with a toxic relationship comes out stronger than they were before.
Your character's personality will only change to the events around them. Obviously this tip will be useful only when writing a non toxic relationship. Should you be writing your MC into a toxic relationship, you'll need to show them realizing that this isn't the way things should be. This is ultimately change.
Overall, your character should still be independent. They should be able to hang out with their friends, even if they have a boyfriend or girlfriend.
The Conclusion:
As with any writing tips, you can't always take them word for word. Your characters may not fit into the advice I give here. This is just from my experience and that's all I can speak for. Your character's personality may be that they depend too much on another person for their worth. Or maybe, your character is someone who grew up without having any consequence to their actions. Maybe they aren't strong in their beliefs or the whole point is that their beliefs are to change by the end of your story.
You do you. Take what applies to you and leave the rest behind.
The only person that can write your story is you.
So, what do you think? Is there anything that movies have taught you
about your own writing? What's your favorite movie? Make sure to leave Lisa some love
This is Ivie, signing off.
As always,
God bless y'all.
FIRST!!!!!
ReplyDeleteXD XD
<3 <3
This was an awesome opportunity, so thank you Lisa, for making this happen. I had a lot of fun, especially finding gifs. <3
Delete<3 you're so welcome. thank you for doing such an amazing job!
DeleteBoth Lisa and you did such a fantastic job! I left a longer comment on Lisa's post, and it's basically what I would still comment... soo... yeah! XD
ReplyDeleteYou both used HTTYD as an example, what a BIG surprise!! :P
Anyways, I realllyyyyy liked these, good job! <3
I know, what a surprise we'd use HTTYD. I think I might have used it too much, but there are few movies I actually LOVE. Glad you likes it. <3
Delete*Glad you like it. Not likes. I don't know where that 's' came from. XD
DeleteThe use of "likes" is your golemn side coming out... if you read Lord of the Rings, YOU WOULD GET THAT REFERENCE! XD
DeleteOh, we're doing that again. XD That's just the result of fast typing. But to be fair, I have heard of golemn. (Mostly sue to parodies.) XD
DeleteThank you Gray!
DeleteYes we are both slightly (#not) obsessed with Httyd xD
Not at all. XD
DeleteIVIE STOP MAKING HIT THE FEELS TRAIN WITH HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON AND BIG HERO SIX (which oddly enough, we were talking about favorite animated movies)! Animated movies with strong values characters believe in and (for some) how they show consequences are just quintessential, and the ones that don't try to bash away from this are just one of the stronger ones, and I love them for it. Great guest post, Ivy!
ReplyDeletexoxo Abigail Lennah | ups & downs
Thank you, Abigail! I know the feels were hard for me, too. HTTYD 2 AND Big hero six still get me. I'm glad you liked the post. :D
DeleteHeh ... I HAVE TO GET BIG HERO 6 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
Delete*lectures myself* "go put a hold on it now. no excuses."
Love all the movies you used, Great post Ivie!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Skye! I'm glad you liked it. :D
DeleteBig Hero 6!!!! *fangirls* That's my sister's favorite movie, and I won't blush to admit I enjoy it as well. I love your note about the romance, Ivie! In my most recent story, Rauladin, there actually is little to no romance in it - not because it isn't there, but it's not a crucial part of the story. At the end, readers can decide if they think certain characters will get together or not, because there are only small things - a smile, a gesture, a simple act - that might hint at a romance.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome!! Big Hero 6 is one of my favorites!
DeleteThank you, Julian. I feel like, at least in the second movie, Hiccup and Astrid obviously were in love, but they didn't need to be by each other 24/7. They were still independent and took care of things they each needed to take care of. That's super important, I think. Obviously those who are together should have some level of dependence, but if they aren't married, they should still be themselves as a whole should they split.
Enough of my rambling, lol. I think its cool you have little to no romance. (I will probably still ship people though. Its a bad habit.) XD
-_- it's crazy that I have no idea what Big Hero 6 is about and that I basically don't know how half of Ivie's examples actually work out/relate. Basically her saying that those of us who haven't watched it, should, was probably hinting at me - like, "LISA, GO WATCH IT IMMEDIATELY". XD
DeleteI agree with your thoughts on romance. Both of you. They should be one - yet they should be two. Or ... however you want to decode that, LOL.
Thanks for hopping over Julian! And thanks for following! I've checked your blog out too!
I ship a number of characters in Rauladin as well, but it wasn't needed for the plot. So I didn't spend time fleshing things out. There's enough in there for the fangirls, though!
DeleteYes, Lisa, GO WATCH IT!!!!
Yeah, that was my subtle hint, but SERIOUSLY!!! THAT MOVIE IS FREAKING GOOD!!! When you do finally watch it, because Fred is Tuffnut btw, tell me how he wears his underwear. XD
DeleteGreat posts to the both of you!
ReplyDeleteCatherine
Thank you! <3
DeleteWhat she said - thanks Catherine! <3
DeleteLove this! Big Hero 6 is A M A ZI N G :D And Ivie, I agree with literally everything you said. Those three points are so important to use/keep in mind XD
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lila! I'm glad you liked it. :D
DeleteAnd Big hero six is awesome.
THANKS FOR COMMENTING LILA <3 Ivie did awesome, didn't she?
DeleteWonderful post! I need to hop over to the other post now and join the party over there too. XD Yay for Big Hero 6! Such a great movie. :)
ReplyDeleteI love that movie. Thank you! <3
DeleteWelcome to the party! YES THIS WAS A GREAT POST! I agree. <3
DeleteThese are such good tips! And as I said over at your blog (Ivie's) I love how you guys did a swap post, that sounds like so much fun. <3 Well done Ivie!
ReplyDeleteThank you! It was fun. Lisa came up with the idea and it was a blast! And she taught me a few things on graphics. <3
Delete