Film Fiction: What it is and why it’s important
What Film Fiction Is
Introducing Film Fiction, a new type of fiction for a new generation of readers. The ADD Chronicles: Andrew David Dodge is the first in a series of books planned to demonstrate the concept.
Based on quick delineation of character and a 3-act structure, #FilmFiction provides a flexible narrative mechanism that can be adapted to traditional literary genres (murder mystery, YA, etc.) as well as to typical film genres, e.g. romantic comedy, action, oaters, etc.
Why It’s Important
We are losing readers, especially among men, at an accelerating rate. The share of men reading for pleasure fell from 25 percent in 2004, to 15 percent in 2017, according to the Washington Post. By contrast, the rate of reading for pleasure among women is about double the rate for men. Yet, even these figures obscure the equivalent of the literary elephant in the room: Millions of Gen Y’s and Z’s who have ceased, or never did, read imaginative fiction and the sustaining insights it reveals about life and its possibilities.
To stop or mitigate this trend, and also because I think it’s a concept with value, I have proposed a new style or genre of novel writing that blends traditional prose fiction with elements borrowed from movies and the structure of screenplays. All the tenets listed below are tentative, as is the idea itself. It requires testing, i.e. readers and further creative development within by other writers, before it is validated as something worthwhile to writers AND readers AND film producers.
The value proposition is this: Books written in a style that will appeal to a visual, younger generation of readers, but also lend themselves to quick, low-cost adaptation to film, TV and all the services that stream to all the world’s devices
The book I've written demonstrating the concept, The A.D.D. Chronicles (see link and reviews above and below) was an act of serendipity in which years of false starts on novels coalesced with a character and idea for a comedic novel written in a style to compress and drive the action forward in a way I had never been able to achieve with traditional, introspective fictive narratives. As one reader remarked in a review below, it reads like a movie in prose. And that, my friends, is what it’s about! You be the judge.
Film Fiction Manifesto
A new genre of fiction for new generations of readers
Tenets:
There are expected to be exceptions to every tenet listed below
Not to be confused with graphic novels
Quick, clear delineation of characters and their assets, liabilities and desires
More flexible than classic narrative fiction; can easily be adapted for all the classic fiction genres (YA, Detective, etc.) but also applied to all the traditional movie genres, e.g. comedy, chick flick, oaters, action, drama
Roughly follows a screenplay 3-act structure with plot points driving new developments and the direction of events and narrative
A narrative written in vivid “pictures” with motivations, thoughts and other subjective nuances externalized or treated in a “verbally visual” style (best explained by reading it)
The novel is a stand-alone narrative creation but also lends itself to rapid adaption to films and shows produced by the myriad streaming outlets for increasingly fractionated, diverse audiences
Could have a natural appeal for the vast numbers of people who have stopped reading fiction – Amazon, as a publisher, probably knows who these demographics are.
Shorter – usually 200 to 250 printed pages Max
Better suited to eReaders, which could even be adapted to import graphic and audio elements into the book
I look forward to hearing feedback about the concept of film fiction from people around the world, on this site via my contact page, or on the Facebook page or Twitter link listed below -- Mike
Chemical salesman Andy Dodge has a large heart but a short attention span. He is also impatient, prone to breaking rules and not highly motivated. Hoping to be “on the tee by noon every day,” and seeking freedom from an imperious boss, Andy purchases a manufacturing company, and learns he has unwittingly inherited a stockpile of deadbeat employees and a proprietary, nuclear technology that will endanger his and his wife’s lives as they become embroiled with terrorists in deadly game of nuclear brinkmanship.
5.0 out of 5 Stars | “Great Book” | Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2021 | Dee -Verified Purchase
I totally enjoyed this book! The writer has an amazing gift for bringing the characters to life. Could not wait to get to the next chapter! I would recommend this book to everyone! Looking forward to more books from this very gifted and amazing writer!!
5.0 out of 5 Stars | “A Neat Little Gem” | Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2021 | Amazon Customer
What a fun story, you will immediately cheer for Andy. On the surface the novel is an adventure chronicle, but the author has such a great way of connecting, you begin to feel the sage guiding you, along with Andy, to new heights. Highly recommended, the book will bring back your faith in humanity!
4.0 out of 5 Stars | “A fun read with many insights” | Reviewed in Canada on March 27, 2020 | P. Mukhopadhyay
Let me admit, I really had fun reading it. Apart from mastery of the English prose, Michael displayed his understanding of science/chemistry, and the knowledge of small/medium sized enterprises – an education for all of us. Interesting insights about relationships between men and women. The book is very detailed in its elements be it about the city landscape of Manhattan or Paris or be it about food or any settings. Impressive indeed! Would love to see it on the screen.
