My current goal is to write a novel (I'm already close to the 35K word mark). However, most of the books I've read about story structure are actually about screenwriting.
While stories are stories no matter the medium, I'm wondering whether everything in these books applies to novels. In particular, some books about structure are very precise about where in a screenplay should some important event happen; can this be directly translated to a novel?
In general, are the basic concepts about structure freely interchangeable between novels and screenplays, or are there major differences to be aware of?
Answer
In terms of structure the two mediums are actually very related and follow very similar patterns. You have a set-up, an inciting incident, a call to action, first act resolution etc. etc. The difference with a novel is that there are more ways to explore the intangibles that cannot be used in a screenplay - what a character is thinking, what memories they are having, what they can smell etc. - and these things are what gives a novel greater depth than a screenplay.
If you're interested in knowing more then you should read Alexandra Sokoloff's 'Screenwriting Tricks for Authors' which costs about $3 as an ebook or try her website.
She does both and she knows her stuff. Hope that helps.
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