Pinar Tarhan, Author at Addicted to Writing

The book or the movie? That’s the question.

Posted on September 7, 2023 Written by Pinar Tarhan

Note: I use affiliate links in this post. If you buy through them, it’s no extra cost to you, but I make a little money, which goes toward running this blog.

I have a confession to make. I don’t always prefer the book. Sometimes, the movie adaptation works fine. You know, when I haven’t read the book first.

I don’t plan it that way. I am just as much into watching movies as I am into reading books. I add a movie to my watchlist or just start watching and then find out it’s based on a book. If I’m already excited about the film, I’m not going to wait until I read the book.

So I watch the movie. And if I really like it, I hunt down the book. This makes disappointment less likely since at this point I’ll have read an article or two about how different these two works of art are. And I won’t be disappointed with the casting – I will just imagine the actors as the leads.

You never know. Sometimes, the movie will have changed things for the better and you won’t enjoy the book. Sometimes, the changes will have worked fine for the medium, and both will give you a lot of joy (Looking at you Red, White, and Royal Blue. (aff.link))

On the other hand, I can’t say the same about Cold Mountain (aff. link). It’s a visual feast. I can’t find fault with it. But I couldn’t get through the novel for some reason.

When did I hate a movie adaptation? Runaway Jury.

Hear me out. Had I not read the novel first (aff.link) – which happens to be one of my favorite novels ever – I would have loved that film. The cast and genre alone would have lured me in. But they changed the core of the novel. A fascinating case against the big tobacco became a gun violence thing.

And… look, I get how more visually impressive (and emotionally more touching and more mainstream ) this decision is. The problem? I loved the plot and the twists and the characters specifically because it was a big tobacco case. And I feel like we have enough great and moving movies about guns. Why couldn’t I have this one? (If you have seen and read Runaway Jury let me know what you think.)

Then there are movie adaptations that are enjoyable enough, if not as memorable as the novels. Two Sophie Kinsella adaptations come to mind: Confessions of a Shopaholic (starring Isla Fisher) and Can You Keep A Secret? (starring Alessandra Daddario). If I had to pick one, I’d pick the novel. But the movies are pleasant experiences and I am glad they exist.

Everyone’s experiences will be different based on taste and expectations. If you hated the adaptation, you’re right. If you loved it, you are right. 🙂

What about you? Which adaptations did you love? Which ones do you hate? Let me know! 🙂

Life is Stranger Than Fiction: Why You Can and Should Write Freely

Posted on August 18, 2023 Written by Pinar Tarhan

I’ve been creating fiction for a long time. Like, for over two decades now. (I started early.)

While I cared about laws of physics since I wrote romantic comedies and dramas set in the real world, I left everything else to my imagination. Now, there was logic involved.

When Greg drove a Jaguar in my romcom novel A Change Would Do You Good, I made sure the audience knew he was a star in his field and at his company. He was the boss’s favorite and made a lot of money. So no one questioned his living standards.

But no matter how much reality you infuse into your fiction, someone will offer a piece of unwarranted criticism, which is fine.

Not all of the unwarranted criticisms come from a mean place. Your readers have different life experiences. Not to mention, our levels of suspension of disbelief differ. When I watch a movie/series with teenagers, I am fine with young adults acting younger than their age. I mean, who is going to say Michael J. Fox can’t/couldn’t pass for a high schooler in Back to the Future? Come on, I dare ya. 🙂

Still, not all Friends lovers (and haters) are convinced Monica could afford her Manhattan apartment. To that, I say:

Rent control
Occasionally great-paying jobs as a chef
Upper-middle-class parents
Happy-to-lend-money brother
Well-earning bestie (Chandler)

Those five points are mentioned in the show. At this point, if you don’t believe she could survive living there, maybe you aren’t into fiction.

One time, a friend reading A Change Would Do You Good (the story featuring our Jaguar-driving friend Greg from above) told me everyone in the story was good-looking, and that didn’t seem believable.

All my recurring characters are either really hot or attractive in their own way. Except for Linda in the beginning, because she has let herself go. However, she also gives herself a makeover and a confidence boost. And don’t worry, there’s no glass removal involved. Just a woman dressing better and losing the extra weight (and by that, I mean her incompatible boyfriend).

What are the odds of so many people being attractive? Without context, it sounds like a writer just pulling stuff out of her butt, I’ll admit.:))

But here’s the context:

This story is set in California. Some characters are from L.A., where there’s a lot of pressure to look good. I’ve been to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. I don’t remember seeing a lot of average-looking people.

I looked fantastic too. I made an effort. It was my first time being abroad, and it was Cali, so I wasn’t just going to roll out of bed and not care.

Here’s even more context:

Janie, the main character, is a fashion designer. She knows how to look good.

Kevin, the male main character and Janie’s love interest is a pro surfer. Sports is his idea of fun. He is hot. And yes, it matters to the plot. And remember, this is a romcom drama. How many romcoms have you read or watched where the leads are just meh?

Kevin’s best friends are surfers and they also take amazing care of themselves. This is also not just a superficial afterthought either. This is a tight group of people who are extremely competitive at everything, and they have made a career in the one thing they love most in the world. They are healthy, successful, confident, and radiant. It’d be unusual if they weren’t considered hot.

(If you are wondering how such a happy group will have trouble in life… Well, Kevin has never been in love. He doesn’t even believe in romantic love. Janie’s grieving the death of the guy she thought she’d be with forever. So when they meet, sparks fly, and world views clash… So, don’t worry. The conflicts are strong with this neighbors to lovers/haters to lovers duo.)

Greg is a psychiatrist. He cares deeply about mental and physical health. Just doing what’s good for your body and soul alone will make a big difference in how good you look.

Ben is literally a model.

But what are the odds of them coming together and all the chaos?

Anytime you put an ensemble together and have them experience hilarious (mis)adventures, someone is bound to ask: But what are the odds?

It’s a great and valid question. Luckily, I’ve got the answer for you:

Highly likely, because life is stranger than fiction.

When I was in college, I did two terms abroad in Halden, Norway as an international student. Here’s a very short snippet of what life was like:

Once, a German neighbor opened the door with a chainsaw in hand. (He’s a great guy. We were a weird bunch.)
The neighbors of a Chinese student didn’t like his housekeeping (or behavior), so they put his bike on the roof of their two-story house.
My Austrian neighbor hated my Hungarian neighbor’s kitchen habits, so he threw all of his kitchen stuff out of the window.
My Russian and Norwegian neighbors, both with notoriously bad memories, met, forgot meeting, and introduced themselves to each other again after a year. They didn’t notice each other for months, even though they lived in a small two-story house with just 6 other people.
My German neighbor with the chainsaw once carved a wooden stake for me in 5 minutes because I wanted to go to the Halloween party as Buffy.
All the guys came together and skied off the roofs. For fun.

That’s real life for you. So any time I’m tempted to dismiss a storyline as unlikely, I think back and laugh.

Life is, and probably will always be stranger than fiction. Just think about what we have been through in the world in the last 3 years.

By all means, mind your plot holes. Check your facts. But write what you want. Because chances are, stuff way weirder already happened.

Movies with Writer Protagonists: Book of Love starring Sam Claflin

Posted on August 14, 2023 Written by Pinar Tarhan

In this fun and sweet romcom from 2022, we don’t have one but two writer characters.

Let’s get the plot summary out of the way; then we will go over why Book of Love (aff.link) is a must-watch for romance writers.

Plot Summary for Book of Love (with minor spoilers)

Henry Copper (Sam Claflin) is an English author scheduled to give interviews in Mexico due to the success of his book there. There, he’s welcomed by his translator Maria (Verónica Echegui), her young son, and her father.

Comedy and conflicts start when Henry realizes that while translating, Maria has essentially turned his story into erotica, creating the sort of fan base he’s in no way ready or willing to deal with.
But as his Mexican publisher puts it, it’s simple: either he accepts the cash and popularity or he goes back home, disappointing readers. Henry and Maria tolerate each other until they realize the other person is a lot more charming and impressive than they initially thought, and sparks start flying.

But just getting over their differences isn’t enough: They are forced to write a book together and Maria’s estranged husband will stop at nothing to stop this blossoming attraction. Can these two get a book-worthy happy ending?

Book of Love’s Writer Characters

And now, there will be more spoilers. You might want to watch the movie and come back.

At first, I was on Henry’s side. OK, I never really left Henry’s side. I just understood and empathized with Maria about certain aspects.

I am a writer after all. My stories are dear to my heart. Hell, who am I kidding? They are my babies. They’re personal and they take a lot of effort from coming up with the premise to seeing through final edits. And after that, you have to work even harder because now people have to hear about it.

I’d be shocked and pissed if I found out a translator just wrote almost a completely different book.
Frankly, I think Henry took it better than I’d have.

But, and this is an important but, Maria caused something very important: money and popularity (as in lots of sales and devoted – albeit slightly crazy fans).

Money and popularity matter because they bring power and options. Flexibility. The freedom to write things you love.

So like Henry, I’d eventually suck it up and play the game. And hey, the romance between two smart, sweet, and sexy creatives? More than welcome.

What can I say? I am a romantic I mean, hello, I’m a romcom author who writes happily-ever-after endings. I even wrote a guide on how to write the ultimate non-tragic romance.

Romance Tropes of Book of Love

Haters to lovers
Opposites attract
Close proximity

Co-Writing

This is a bit tricky. You need to share a similar vision for the future of the story. You need to like each other as people.

If you get on each other’s nerves, it’ll become a bit of a nightmare. Writing, like all professions and activities, has ups and downs. And it can get difficult, complicated, and frustrating. But at its core, it should be a labor of love. And you can’t co-create if you are miserable. (Or is it just me?)

Luckily, our characters from the film work things out. And I wouldn’t say no to working with a cute, romantic Brit. (Yes, you got me. I’ve been crushing on Sam Claflin since he appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. (aff.link))

My Writer Characters

I love writer characters on the page and screen. I feel seen. And I definitely relate. Unless the character is a total jerk, that is. In addition to dedicating an entire category on this blog to fictional writers, I sometimes feature writer characters in my novels as well.

In my New York-set romcom Making A Difference (M.A.D.) (aff.link), novelist Colin initially self-publishes only to find success after Zoe, a talented publicist, stumbles upon his book. Sparks fly, but their blossoming romance is threatened big time when Zoe’s offered a job to work with her mentor, humanitarian Jay Clark. How can a guy compete with someone who’s actively making the world a better place?

Jay’s sister, Angie, is a free-spirited rock journalist. So you‘ve got two important (supporting) writer characters in Making A Difference (M.A.D).

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How do you feel about writing characters? What are your favorite books, movies, and series with writers?

Note: This post uses affiliate links. They don’t cost anything for you, but I do earn a little something when you buy something through them.

Interview with Yuki Carlsson – Author of Prison of Loneliness

Posted on August 10, 2023 Written by Pinar Tarhan

Today on the blog, I’ve interviewed my author friend Yuki Carlsson, who’s just released their novel Prison of Loneliness. I’ve talked to Yuki about their writing process, how they got started, their advice for beginning writers and more.

Can you tell us how you started writing?

When I couldn’t write, yet, I glued together my first picture books with my own scribbles, and as soon as I could write, I created another book in which I was telling the story of a child living in the jungle.

Thereafter, I wrote mainly in my diary and came up with another story in my teenage years. However, my real writing journey only started when I went on a sabbatical from my job. A friend of mine and I wanted to write a fictitious vampire story together. The project did not work out, but I wrote my debut novel “Prison of Loneliness” instead and loved it so much that I quit my job and officially became a full-time author.

What genres do you write in and why?

I write psychological literary fiction. At first, I was clueless about it. Roughly thirty book ideas lingered in my head. However, the plots ranged from romantic over fantastical to thrilling. Which audience would want that? And then I realised: the common denominator in all of my stories is the mental background and development of my characters. I, therefore, aim to appeal to an audience of all genders interested in psychology.

How do you find inspiration for your stories?

Think about a walk in the forest. You might only see the path, but in truth, there are twigs and leaves, plants and mushrooms, foxes and mice. The world is full of treasures if you recognise their value.

It is the same with inspiration for stories. Our everyday life holds so much potential: a conversation with a friend, an experience we make, and observations of the people around us. I pick them up and they transform.

A premise idea starts to line out a plot. A character tells me their background. A topic wants to be regarded from all angles. All I do then is to put it together, and if I like the combination I can’t hold back my urge to write the story.

What do you consider the best part of having a writing career? And what do you dislike about this profession?

I love the outlining, the writing and the editing. Often, I lose track of time and find myself saying “Just one more scene and I’ll go to bed” at 2 am in the morning.

However, my experience with book marketing was sobering. A best-selling book is that: a best-selling book, not a best-written book. And hence, a lot evolves around how much money you spend on advertising your work. Also, instead of recognising the value that we authors create, many people claim to want to read your book, but ask you for money to do so. “I’ll write you a review for only $40.”

I despise that. It makes me wonder about the trustworthiness of book reviews and how we can help readers make informed decisions about which book they want to read.

Can you tell us about your latest project?

Prison of Loneliness touches on heavy topics that people avoid talking about: trauma, depression, loneliness, burnout and more. It also addresses differences in mentality between Asia, Europe and North America and brings awareness about the tense Japanese-Korean relation. It is, therefore, a rather tough read, but shows people that they are not alone and inspires their self-help journey through many metaphors and philosophical ideas.

Do you have a writing routine?

Yes, I write every morning right after getting up before doing anything else. Only after an hour or two, do I have breakfast and a look at my phone. Through this routine, I avoid getting influenced from the outside and obtain steady progress on my books.

Do you have a marketing routine?

I want to get a routine of being active on social media and reaching out to fellow authors for collaborations. But otherwise, marketing depends on the stage my books are at.

What wisdom would you like to impart on writers who are only just beginning?

Think about whether you want to make writing a hobby or a business. The approach will be fundamentally different.

The latter can be overwhelming because of the flood of things you have to learn in parallel to establishing your internet presence, writing, editing, and marketing your book.

Think about it this way: other people study literature for several years and others study business administration. Establishing a writing business from scratch is like studying two majors while onboarding a new job and working in it full time.

My advice would hence be to start writing as a hobby and learn about story composition, writing rules, and editing first. Only then, think about a business model, and your target audience, establish a webpage, and an email newsletter. Thereafter, schedule and plan your book launch. One step at a time.

What are some of your favorite books? Who are your fav. authors? Why?

Ironically, I don’t read much; I prefer to write.

However, some works really impressed and inspired me, among others: Goethe’s Faust and Werther, Hermann Hesse’s Beneath The Wheel and Steppenwolf, Exupery’s The Little Prince, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

What I love about these works are the beauty of the language, the depth of the message, and the timelessness of the plots. While my first novel is contemporary, I aspire to address timeless topics, too, and I want to continue improving my language.

What are some non-writing facts about you that you would like to share with us?

I lived many years abroad and always try to expand my horizon and come to a better understanding of people, regardless of their cultural background, mentality, personality, gender etc.

In my free time, I learn about psychology, play piano, do extreme sports or converse with close friends.

What’s next for you?

The first draft of my memoir is finished and going into beta-reading now. So next for me is editing my memoir, making Prison of Loneliness into an audiobook, and creating the concept for part 2 of the series.

Where can we find you on the web?

You can find me almost everywhere, but I am most active on my webpage and Instagram:

www.yukicarlsson.com

https://amazon.com/author/yukicarlsson

https://www.instagram.com/yukicarlsson/

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/YukiCarlsson

@yukicarlsson

https://yukicarlsson.tumblr.com/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084395569886

https://www.youtube.com/@yukicarlsson

https://www.reddit.com/user/YukiCarlsson

https://www.linkedin.com/company/yukicarlsson/