From the Box Office to the Books: How Movies Create Better Writers | Mycah Hazel

The main skill films help writers develop is attention to progress. Most directors and screenwriters know that the majority of people are not willing to sit through a five-hour film. Thus, every scene must have a purpose. This is a vital objective to keep in mind when writing a novel or short story. With most writing courses placing emphasis on literary techniques, it is easy to become more invested in diction than with actually moving the plot forward. Films reminds the writer that while a novel ought to have some degree of literary complexity, the goal at the end of each chapter, page, or sentence is simple: keep the story moving.