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What makes a film or TV show so gripping that we can’t stop watching? Though they are different mediums, there’s more overlap between screenwriting and novel writing than you might think. Today, I’m revealing five powerful screenwriting techniques that novelists can steal from film and TV to write a better story, keep readers engaged, and elevate their craft.

Story Structure

The first technique that screenwriters have mastered, and that novelists should study before even writing the first sentence of their novel, is story structure.

Great films and shows follow tight, carefully plotted narratives that keep the suspense high and ensure a meaningful transformation for the main character. In fact, some of the most well-known story frameworks used today were created by screenwriters.

For example, Dan Harmon’s Story Circle is a take on the Hero’s Journey that follows a cyclical structure through eight key phases. The main character starts in their comfort zone, ventures into unfamiliar territory, seeks something out, and undergoes a transformation over the course of the journey.

Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat method is immensely popular among contemporary fiction writers and was even adapted specifically for novelists by Jessica Brody in Save the Cat Writes a Novel. This framework follows 15 story beats and lays out exactly where they should occur in the narrative to ensure precise emotional pivot points. This keeps the pace swift from beginning to end, ensuring an engaging read.

Many novelists, especially pantsers, resist story frameworks because they fear that following one will make their story feel formulaic or predictable. But remember, structures like these are tools—you can still be creative within the foundation you build.

Readers may not consciously analyze story structure as they read, but they will feel when a story’s foundation is weak. As a developmental book editor, I constantly help authors refine their plots, and while I don’t believe you need to follow a specific framework to a T, studying the fundamentals of story structure before you begin writing will help you craft a much stronger narrative and potentially save you from massive revisions later.

Dialogue

Once you have a strong foundational structure in place, you need to master another key element of storytelling that screenwriters excel at: dialogue.

In film and TV, great dialogue is sharp, purposeful, realistic, and packed with subtext. Every line either advances the plot, deepens character relationships, or contributes to a character’s arc.

We’ve all suffered through movies or shows with poorly written dialogue—when it’s too on the nose or characters express their feelings in an explicit, unnatural way, it becomes cringeworthy. You don’t want that reaction from your readers, so getting dialogue right is critical.

Here are a few techniques screenwriters use to ensure dialogue lands with impact:

• Reaction Shots – When a character says something consequential, the camera often pans to another character’s face to capture their reaction. Novelists can do the same by describing facial expressions or body language (e.g., their smile dropping, their fist clenching). These small moments add emotional texture to the scene.

• Subtext – In real life, people don’t always say exactly what they mean. The best dialogue forces readers to dig beneath the surface. For example, instead of having characters scream accusations in a breakup scene, you might show avoidance, clipped responses, or indirect comments that hint at deeper emotions.

• Pauses – Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words. Don’t be afraid to let your characters sit in the unspoken.

• Double-Duty Dialogue – Every line of dialogue should serve multiple functions. Since film and TV rely heavily on dialogue, screenwriters ensure that every spoken line conveys personality, builds conflict, or advances the plot in some way.

As important as dialogue is, it’s only one element of a scene. The way a shot is framed or shaped determines how the audience emotionally responds—and even though novelists aren’t using a camera, they can still shape their scenes using words.

Camera Movement

Camera movement in film translates to pacing and scene transitions in fiction writing.

Directors use camera angles, cuts, and transitions to influence how an audience reacts to a scene and shape its pacing—whether contemplative and slow or fast and chaotic. Writers can evoke the same emotional responses using written versions of these techniques:

• Cold Open – Starting in the middle of the action with no exposition or explanation. In novels, this means avoiding long descriptive passages and diving right into the heart of the story.

• Jump Cuts – A series of shots where parts are removed to condense time. In writing, this means cutting redundant phrasing or unnecessary scene choreography.

• Montages – A sequence showing the passage of time (e.g., Simba growing up in The Lion King). In novels, this can be achieved by summarizing events in a paragraph rather than showing them in full.

• Match Cuts – A transition using a shared sound, visual, or theme. In multi-POV or dual-timeline narratives, you can use this to illustrate parallels (e.g., ending one scene with a character arriving at an airport and beginning the next with another character doing the same).

• Hard Cut to Black – Used for dramatic impact in film. In novels, this effect can be achieved by ending a scene or chapter with a striking, powerful line.

Trying out these techniques in your novel will help you control the pacing and make each scene more dynamic and immersive.

Visual Language

Film and TV are visual mediums, relying on imagery, lighting, and color to convey themes and establish tone. Novelists can achieve the same effects through setting descriptions and sensory details.

• Color – Threading a specific color or object throughout the story to reinforce a theme (The Great Gatsby’s green light, The Yellow Wallpaper’s yellow wallpaper).

• Lighting – Using light and shadow to set the mood. A warm, sunny setting might convey joy, while a dimly lit alley might create suspense.

• Selective Detail – Filmmakers zoom in on key objects (a honking car, a dripping faucet) to create atmosphere. Writers should do the same by selecting only the most meaningful details.

Diegetic & Non-Diegetic Elements

I recently learned a concept from film that completely changed how I think about storytelling: diegetic vs. non-diegetic elements.

• Diegetic elements exist within the story world—things the characters are aware of, like a ringing phone or an explosion.

• Non-diegetic elements exist only for the audience—like background music, voiceovers, or title cards.

Novels have both types of elements. Chapter headers, foreshadowing, and dramatic irony are all non-diegetic because the reader notices them, but the characters do not. If you write omniscient narration, your narrator’s commentary would also be considered non-diegetic.

To refine these elements in your writing, ask yourself:

• What parts of my story exist solely for the reader rather than the characters?

• How do my chapter breaks and headers influence pacing and structure?

• Could I use foreshadowing or dramatic irony to deepen the emotional impact?

By identifying and refining these non-diegetic elements, you’ll ensure that readers respond to the story in the way you intend.

Thanks for reading, and happy writing!

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