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Experiencing a Story Different Ways
There are lots of ways to reimagine classic works and find new ways to enjoy them. |
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I just went to the immersive-theater experience Sleep No More in the city this weekend, so I've been thinking a lot about adaptations ever since. It's a modernized interpretation of Macbeth with a bunch of other story elements feathered into it--this version is set in a 1930s hotel (but still prominently features witches, murder, and subterfuge, so, not that different, really  --it's a very intense and confrontational staging that you have to walk through, and there are occasionally moments where the cast may interact with you, which is, for the record, wonderful and bonechilling).
This got me thinking though, about adaptations in a more general sense. I'm of the general mind that there are something of a finite number of basic story shapes that can be re-combined indefinitely to create essentially infinite possibilities. (Corollary to that, this is why I believe that when we balk at something being "unoriginal" it's because we recognize too many of the pieces and we don't *like* that we are recognizing them at the time. When things are presented in a new way, even if we've seen them many times before, it's a lot more compelling.)
A lot of pop culture is obsessed with tellings and retellings; revisiting old stories with new characters, or updating classic characters in new and exciting ways. It's a time-honored tradition, in many respects, and with so many ways to interact with stories, it stands to reason that revisiting older works is a great way to transform them.
A note of caution here: it's important not to trample over stories that don't "belong" to the writer, that is to say, retellings and reimaginings need to be respectful of the people and cultures that they come from. Especially for white folks--a lot of cultures have had their stories trampled for centuries by mostly-white, mostly-colonial actions and it's important not to recreate those losses by appropriating stories that don't belong to you. Be mindful and respectful of all the gardens you visit.
Adaptations are one way we can transform stories and media--telling an old story in a new setting or medium, translating the characters from that work across many different lines. This happens a lot when trying to age-up or age down a story for its intended audience. For example, I own one copy of Treasure Island in a popular school edition, another in a massively-abridged edition with some black and white spot illustrations, and a third edition that is aimed at the 5-and-under crowd that clocks in at a mere 24 pages but is beautifully illustrated in full color--all more or less telling the same story, but adapting it to the desired audience. (This one is kind of a great example as it fell into the public domain very early and thus there are a zillion theater and film productions, adaptations, retellings, you name it; if there's a medium, someone, somewhere, has adapted Treasure Island for that medium.)
Retellings are somewhat more intricate than adaptations as they require slightly more legwork--taking an existing story and shaping it more thoroughly into something else, whether it's history, a fairy tale, or a story from a different genre shaped into a new one. George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books are famously based on the War of the Roses, with some fantastical inspiration via authors like Tad Williams and his Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series (which is itself a twist on Arthurian fantasy with some added magic!) It's possible to do quite a lot by changing the setting or story elements to really make something your own.
Reimaginings, where something older is taken for a spin with many new elements, are also becoming popular. Jordan Peele's revival of The Twilight Zone, for example, invites a wider and more diverse group of storytellers to tell the same kinds of "twist" stories Rod Serling's original show was famous for. I'm very fond of new stories that borrow heartily from old worlds, old settings, old character archetypes, and make them more welcoming to new audiences.
Taking inspirations from classic media and finding a way to put your own spin on it can be a fascinating exercise. One thing one of my writers' groups really likes to do is take very disparate elements from our favorite stories and attempt to mash them together. A character that you really like from this drama series, placed in a setting you really like from history, for example. It's distinct from fanfiction in that you want to scrape the serial numbers off entirely--make it your own work, by all means, but it allows you to think creatively by freeing your mind from trying to reinvent the wheel every time you sit down to write. Nothing under the sun is truly, wholly original--so find ways to thoughtfully create things that reflect your interests, experiences, and the stories that touch your heart.
Until Next Time,
Take care and Write on!
Jay |
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Sometimes an event can punch a hole to show the darkness beyond. Short Shots March 2019
by Kotaro |
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Feedback from "Master Studies"
Jenstrying  writes:
This is really a good idea. I've been stuck for awhile with my fiction. Maybe trying to write a non fiction piece in the way say Anne Rice or Stephen King might would help. Then find a small nugget to pull out a short story. Thank you!
Yes, that's another great way to practice! Thinking about things in the style of other writers can help un-stick a story, too. |
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Short Stories: June 19, 2019 Issue [#9611]
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