Do you read the book before you see the movie?

[Laura]

Okay, so I'm curious. How many of you read the book before you let yourself see the movie? And do you make yourself read it again if it's something you read years ago? I admit, I prefer to read the book first, but now since practically all movies were books first, there's a ton I haven't read. Like beautiful creatures and confessions of a wildflower. I did reread the great gatsby though, but I haven't seen the movie yet.

[Sarah]

Laura wrote: "Okay, so I'm curious. How many of you read the book before you let yourself see the movie? And do you make yourself read it again if it's something you read years ago? I admit, I prefer to read the..."

I always read the book first, seeing the movie first spoils the book forever, and how can you criticise a film if you don't know which bits they missed out that you thought were crucial to the story!

And I never re-read a book, once is enough. Sometimes they change the book covers, I've fallen for that one a couple of times and as soon as I open it and read the first page and I realise I have read it before I can't continue, no matter how good the story was.

[Jessica]

I loved The Great Gatsby, and the movie was excellent!!

[Sarah]

Jessica wrote: "I loved The Great Gatsby, and the movie was excellent!!"

I couldn't get into the book and haven't seen the movie. My favourite book to film was Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier. I found the book in a house we moved to when I was 14, in a cupboard in the hall. I was supposed to have been painting the cupboard but the book willed me to open it. And once opened I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it! My father was not amused!

[Ingrid, Just another writer.]

I want to see the movie now you see me and the great gatsby. i know TGG is based on a book but the movie could or could not show a partial theme from the book.

[Niv]

I usually like to read the book before watching the movie, but it doesn't always happen this way, like The Hunger Games, I was hesitant about it, till I watched the movie then I read the whole series.

[Laura]

That's interesting about the hunger games, Niv, because I read the book first and it was so gory I decided I couldn't see the movie. I guess the movie in my mind was enough!

[Niv]

Laura wrote: "That's interesting about the hunger games, Niv, because I read the book first and it was so gory I decided I couldn't see the movie. I guess the movie in my mind was enough!"

I wouldn't say it was gory to me, only because I read worse.

[Sarah]

Niv wrote: "Laura wrote: "That's interesting about the hunger games, Niv, because I read the book first and it was so gory I decided I couldn't see the movie. I guess the movie in my mind was enough!"

I would..."

I read James Herbert's 'Rats' The Lair and the final one in the trilogy whose title escapes me out of sequence. Lol, I bought 'The Lair' to read whilst on holiday, camping, in a tent...frightened the living daylights out of myself, and I am not one to scare easily, believe me. I don't think they made a film out of that book but they did Rats, it was nothing like the book, the producers even changed the venue from London to New York! Spoilt the film for me!

[Niv]

"the producers even changed the venue from London to New York! Spoilt the film for me!"

Yes Sarah, don't you hate when producers take it upon themselves to change things in books! I mean, authors labor over their books day and night and then a producer shows up and thinks "hmmm...I tink I can do it better, let's change this and that...." it drives me nuts :s

[Sarah]

I'd love to get the chance for my book to be made into a film, I think it would be so cool. But I know I would have to write the script myself, because I couldn't bear a script writer to hack away at my baby!

[Laura]

Well, maybe you could cowrite the script if your book was a movie. Did you self publish it? Is it available somewhere? I'd love to read it!

[Niv]

Sarah wrote: "I'd love to get the chance for my book to be made into a film, I think it would be so cool. But I know I would have to write the script myself, because I couldn't bear a script writer to hack away ..."

There you go, good luck for you! I hope one day we'll be watching a movie about your book, with a script that is written by you!

[Laura]

Sarah, I just looked at your profile. Your book sounds amazing! I am a screenwriter myself, so if you need any help adapting your book into a film, I could possibly help you! My websites are legrabowskicotton.com and laurawritingcoach.com.

[Sarah]

Laura wrote: "Well, maybe you could cowrite the script if your book was a movie. Did you self publish it? Is it available somewhere? I'd love to read it!"

Laura wrote: "Sarah, I just looked at your profile. Your book sounds amazing! I am a screenwriter myself, so if you need any help adapting your book into a film, I could possibly help you! My websites are legrab..."

Yes I self published, the book's called Cally's Secret and here is the link to Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Callys-Secret-e.... I will go take a look at your websites now Laura. My dad always said 'Things have a funny way of sorting themselves out, without any intervention from yours truly and it's not alway's what you know, but who you know, that could make the difference.'!

[Sarah]

Niv wrote: "Sarah wrote: "I'd love to get the chance for my book to be made into a film, I think it would be so cool. But I know I would have to write the script myself, because I couldn't bear a script writer..."

Now that would really be something for my children and grandchildren to brag about!

[Laura]

Sarah, I looked at your Calley's Secret link. It sounds funny and fabulous. Yes, it definitely has film potential. I also sent you a friend message, but I didn't know the color of your hair so I just said blonde. So if you see that, it is me :)

[Sarah]

Lol I just came from looking at your website, and you are the first person to guess correctly! I am blonde, (bottle) not natural I will go over to confirm you as a friend right now.

[Laura]

Ha! That's funny. Thank you!

[Laura]

Let me know if you have any questions about my websites. The laurawritingcoach one is probably more what you are interested in. The legrabowskicotton one is more about my own writing.

[Sarah]

Laura wrote: "Let me know if you have any questions about my websites. The laurawritingcoach one is probably more what you are interested in. The legrabowskicotton one is more about my own writing."

I'll go take a look at that one now, and the copy of Cally's Secret should be in your in box now.

[Laura]

Thank you so much, Sarah! I am really excited! How do I read this on my kindle? I can open it on my computer, but I don't know how to do it on my kindle. Let me know.

Thanks again!
Laura

[Jessica]

Ingrid--The Great Gatsby followed the book perfectly!!

[Laura]

It looked that way from the previews. And I love Leonardo, so I have to see it!

[Irene]

I ALWAYS read the books first. I think the only movies I have seen without reading the books first are the Wizard of Oz and the original Star Wars movies. I won't go back and re-read though, unless I feel really inclined to.

[Irene]

Jessica wrote: "I loved The Great Gatsby, and the movie was excellent!!"

It was very well done, I haven't read it in a long time though so can't say if they got the tiny details right.

[Jennifer]

For me it depends. When the book is different from the movie I do whichever I can get first. For ones in which book and movie are the same story, I usually try to read the book first if it is fiction but I find it impossible to go in the other direction so in these cases if I have seen the movie I won't read the book as it feels like I already read it and I want to move on to something new. For movies based on nonfiction books I watch the movie only, I rarely find myself able to get into nonfiction books yet because the movies are only based on these books and are fiction I like watching them.

[Sarah]

Laura wrote: "Thank you so much, Sarah! I am really excited! How do I read this on my kindle? I can open it on my computer, but I don't know how to do it on my kindle. Let me know.

Thanks again!
Laura"

I just found this message Laura, sorry I haven't replied before but I am afraid I have no idea how to get stuff onto my tablet, I think it has something to do with synchronising your kindle/tablet with your computer and then a copy of the document is transferred to your tablet.

Sounds easy in theory, but so far I haven't been able to put my theory into practise, though I somehow managed to transfer music to my MP3 this way, one day it just appeared when I plugged my MP3 in to charge it up! Like I said, I'm an interior as well as exterior blonde!

[Selena]

It depends. Some like The Help or Les Misérables - the musical in that case - I had to see it first to be able to get through the book. The The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset I read and watched the movie. Some books I've read and refuse to see the movie.

[Emma]

It depends for me too... if there's a book that I've read that's a movie, I'll see the movie. If there's a movie I'm really excited about and there's a book, I'll read it.

I'm not sure if this counts the same way, but I'm usually uncomfortable going to an opera or a play if I don't read it, or at least know the plot by heart (or can say/sing it line for line)

[Andrea]

If I'm aware that there is a book to the movie I HAVE to read the book first. In most cases I already have.

I love the Great Gatsby and I think they did a really good job with the new movie.

Another one I'm excited about is Ender's Game. Haven't seen it yet but interested how they will pull it off.

[Roxanne]

I never see the movie until after I've read the book.

[Debbie]

I prefer to read the book first, but if I want to see the movie bad enough I will read the book after. Unless I have a question after seeing the movie I don't re-read the book because of the movie. If I do re-read the book it is because I enjoyed it so much the first time, the movie may just remind me of that.