Since this is still The Beginning of The Week, and I want to dedicate something each week to All Things Writing, this post is going to blend some writing questions with my Love Is In The Air business.
As a writer, I have learned so much reading your blogs, reading books, and even watching TV shows and movies.
I think it was Dianne K. Salerni at In High Spirits who wrote a post a while back about how she was struggling with the current novel in her series. She made a choice back in the first book that wasn't making the writing easy later on. However, that choice was already out there (and in print), so she couldn't go back and change it. The only thing to do was figure out how to go on from here.
TV shows, more than movies, face this same dilemma. Any show that has story that carries over from week to week (a serial) is up against this same wall. One of the surest ways to send a TV show to the cancellation block is to ignore the history in favor of telling the story you want to tell. Novelists run this same risk because the result is the same. With a TV show, viewers become disgusted and Change The Channel. With novels, word of mouth circulates that it is full of plot holes, not true to the story, etc. and people Don't Buy.
How do we avoid this with our own writing? I remember one person suggesting (Misha Gerrick, maybe?) that anyone writing a serial reread everything you've already written so that those old choices are fresh in your mind. It is one way to avoid revisionist history. It also reminds you of who your characters are given their choices/beliefs/value system.
You may be thinking... I am not a series writer, so this doesn't apply to me. I remember Alex J. Cavanaugh saying that he never intended his first book to become a series, but that is what happened. So, I am thinking it is best to Never Say Never. You can draw your own conclusions;)
You may be thinking... I am not a writer (period), so this doesn't apply to me. True, but you probably read, watch TV shows and/or movies. Can you think of a specific book series, TV series, or even a movie that didn't remain true to choices made earlier? Did it recover later or die a painful death? Tell me about it. I do want to know!
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I am tagging all of these Love Is In The Air (even though the hop is over) and the following is a list of all the posts with links, so that you can watch any of your favorites that you missed.
Back at the beginning of this thing I asked YOU to share what you think are the most romantic moments on the big and small screen. Thank you to everyone who has commented with your favorite romantic scenes. I have enjoyed watching them on YouTube. I no longer have time to post them in this series, but I *might* include them on the HERE'S TO YOU post;)
Speaking of comments, some of your comments crack me up! Once I ran all movies and several of you indicated you'd never seen those TV shows. Hahahaha. I realize I must be more clear about what I am posting, since I am doing both.
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The clips from today are from the TV Show Private Practice. Shonda Rimes, writer of Grey's Anatomy, decided to spin off one of the main characters from that show. Addison Montgomery moved to LA and a new medical drama was born. And died. In order to have the same sort of bizarre cases that you get on Grey's (which takes place at a major metropolitan hospital) you actually need a major metropolitan hospital. A private practice just doesn't cut it. So, everyone's medical qualifications became a hindrance after the first year (with the exception of our main character who actually was a surgeon). What did Shonda do to solve this MAJOR problem? She reinvented them all. It was insane. It was stupid. It plunged the show into a downward spiral that ended in a painful death. In the meantime, the show was (mostly) successful at interpersonal relationships and quirky characters.... where Shonda excels as a writer. In other words, it still made good romance. If you want a lesson on how not to write a series, watch Private Practice. So many lessons there.
Now. let's pluck the gems from the ash, shall we?
Addison and Jake. Let me just say that if a man ever said this to me, I am fairly certain my knees would give out and I would be this puddle on the floor. Oh boy.
Roll the Jake footage...
"You know why I asked how you felt about me? Because I could fall in love with you, Addison. I could buy a house with you, I could make a baby with you, in a test tube, or however, But, I could be with you.But, when I go in, I go all in. And I can't do that while you're pining after another man. You're NOT READY for what I have to offer."
"I could get ready."
"That would be nice."
One of the funniest things about Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice was the usage of elevators for the BEST conversations. I have never in my life experienced sexy elevator talk. **Damn damn damn.**
Moving on to the most consistently excellent couple on this show... Cooper and Charlotte. While everything else collapsed around them, they were the characters that always remained TRUE TO THE STORY. This scene dates back to when they are just starting out as a couple. Charlotte is a love-battered weary soul who excels at self-sabotage. Cooper knows this about her. He calls her on her stuff and expects her to do better (she does).
Roll the Cooper/Charlotte footage:
What could have been the best relationship, Amelia and James, didn't save the ship. It had already broadsided the iceberg and was going down. The best they could do was make the sinking a bit more enjoyable. The James character didn't even join the cast until the last season, and they were cancelled mid-way through, so this couple never got the screen time fans would have liked. They were fun, funny, and real in some ways that others weren't. Their problems weren't big soap opera problems. They looked a lot more like what average people face (for the most part). Take this scene... It cracks me up every time.
Roll the James and Amelia footage:
"I'm pretty sure it's not the first time. Just think back to the best sex you've ever had."
Hahahahaha.
Have a good Tuesday everyone!
