The Lovely Bones: Movie or Book?

Yesterday, after a very productive writing morning, I spent the day with my DD. DH is in Texas visiting his father, who is doing much better this week, and DD had requested to go to the movies.

After hashing out my plot and looking at all the restructuring and work remaining, I was all to eager to be her movie date. Oh, but she chose such a sad movie. THE LOVELY BONES. For those of you who may not know about this movie based on the book with the same title, it's about a 14 year old girl who is murdered and it's told from her point of view after she dies.

For any parent. this is a HARD movie to watch. For a writer, this is a story I wish I had written. Amazing first lines: My name is Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973. 


I can't do the story justice. Buy the book by Alice Sebold, read it and go to the movie. To be honest, I haven't read the book (too painful and sad), but my daughter did. And she said the book was so much better only because the book could explore the complexity of the story, the people's lives, the girl's perspective more intensely and vividly than a movie.

I have raised a true reader. And I love discussing the differences between the books and movies based on them with her. Why directors and screenwriters make decisions to cut or compress stories so they can fit on the big screen. They are going for the overall theme and mood of the story, but they have to cut a lot to bring the story to life. On the other hand, they have the benefit of the visual, music scores and acting to bring the characters and the story to life.

Sometimes I wish I could add visual, real visual components and musical scores to my stories. But as an author, all I have is words. And the words I use must give the reader the sensation of being in the story and living in each scene.

How? I keep going back to the words of Maass: create sympathy and empathy for your characters. Bring them to life with strong conflict and let them face the conflict and win (if you're a commercial writer) by the end. Do it well. Hone your craft. After you get it plotted and polished to the best of your ability, read it with the mind of a movie director. Share the story with trusted CPs and beta readers. Make sure you have created a story that creates depth of feeling and emotion within the reader because the reader cares about the characters and what happens to them.

Some people might come away from the movie, THE LOVELY BONES, saying the movie didn't meet their expectations because they read the book. But I think Peter Jackson succeeded in meeting mine. Even better, his vision on the screen convinced me to face the pages in the book because he proved the beauty of the story outweighs the horror.

Tis the Day after Christmas and All Through the House....

.... only I am up. I am the early bird of the family and I treasure this time alone. I catch up on emails, forums and blogs. I love the quiet cool air and the hush of the halls. It's great solitary time to work as well. I am looking forward to using the time wisely in the days ahead as I edge toward the new year.

While we were in Texas, I managed to work on my current WIP. I finished cutting and pasting my last half of the WIP! Amazing what having a hotel room with space, two sleepy family members and being an early riser will do for one's ability to get work accomplished. So, despite the very sad reasons we were there, I did manage to work, too.

We drove back on the 23rd. That was a very long day. But then we were home and ensconced in our house by 5:30PM. On Christmas Eve I went shopping for food and did laundry (the bane of my existence). We brought down all of our presents and set them under the tree. After cookies and milk and tossing Reindeer Food (my fifteen year old believes in tradition), we were off to bed.

Santa arrived and we all reaped a mighty stash of presents. Woohoo! Then we went off to the movie theater and watched SHERLOCK HOLMES. Oh my, Robert D. is adorable. They did a great job of retooling the old icon. Loved the film. Then it was home to chillax, eat dinner, work puzzles, read, do nothing.

I love this time of year!

I love having time to sleep and do nothing and relax.

I love knowing that when the New Year arrives, I'll be ready to roll with the current WIP because I committed to writing a little every day, more on some and none on others, but I managed to work a lot in. That's the key. I will know my peeps when I start up the new year.

I hope you all know your peeps, too! I hope you have a wonderful break, and I hope you have a fabulous new year celebration.