All I Need to Know About Writing… I Learn from the X-Files?

The X-Files was an incredibly popular television series and fans are still attending movies when they reach the box office. Despite the program’s errors, what can writers learn from the techniques used? I’m creating a series that explores various items that transcend film and fiction. Elements which are just as applicable on the screen as they are in print, and vice versa.

So, for this first installment, what can writers learn from the series?

*Subplots, subplots, subplots. Every episode contained 2 or 3 minor subplots that enhanced the overall story, yet never overshadowed the main purpose.

*Character Depth- No character was “flat,” or without flaw. Scully could seem hyper-assertive and Mulder could be seen as narcissistic, yet both retained their unique endearing qualities.

*Simplicity- The show did occasionally use symbolism and mentions of archaic material, and some technical jargon was utilized, but always where appropriate and only in very small amounts.

*Normality- Characters become tired. They weren’t all energy at all times. They were physically and psychologically as strained and exhausted as individuals in real life. Just as your fiction should be plausible, your characters should also be believable.

More on this here!