Stranger Than Fiction

Just a few days ago, I watched a movie titled Stranger Than Fiction (highly recommend). It was released in 2006, and throughout the film, the writer side of me couldn’t help but get excited. One concept shown intrigued me especially, and I want to share that here with you, for those of you needing help in coming up with new fiction-based book ideas.

Essentially, that concept is this: the author types up a fiction story, but everything written is actually playing out in real life. The story’s character[s] are living and breathing within the author’s world, and, at least in “Stranger Than Fiction,” the said character is soon even aware of this. He, (that is, Harold Crick) becomes obsessed with finding the author of his life and convincing her to change the ending she wrote for him. In the film, however, the author has complete control over Harold’s fate, not knowing that he is indeed real until they eventually cross paths.

Overall, the film explores this rich dynamic between the character and his author. It reveals this transformation in the author’s mindset as she discovers the reality her past books have formed. Even more, the movie made me question: What would you write if you found out all those fictional characters you created in the past existed? What kind of novel could you create if you were to interact with them?