4 lessons from Noir Film for fiction writers

Timeless advice for engaging stories

Hey there writers!

Recently, I have been obsessed with watching Noir films at Stanford Theatre.

Picture this: I'm sitting in the darkened theater, when an elderly gentleman's phone starts to play a jingle. Surely, this man will notice it and silence his phone. Yet it goes off, again, and again. Does he not hear it? If he cannot hear, then how is he following the movie? Is the jingle a text message, or some kind of reminder? For medication? Is he not taking his medication?

The mystery genre invites us to explore the human mind. My speculation above is meant to illustrate the curiosity that mystery evokes. It makes us think about how the characters think.

Who did it, and why? Can this person really be trusted?

As I watched, I realized the smoke-filled rooms and rain-slicked streets of noir masterpieces contained timeless advice for better fiction writing.

Intrigued? In this newsletter, we're going to pull back the curtain on four game-changing lessons that noir films can teach us about crafting unforgettable fiction. Whether you're penning a cozy mystery or a sweeping fantasy epic, these techniques will add that extra dash of intrigue and atmosphere that'll keep your readers glued to the page. 

So grab your fedora and trench coat, because we're about to dive into the gritty, thrilling world of noir – and emerge as sharper, more captivating storytellers.

Lesson #1: Witty banter wins every time.

Remember those razor-sharp exchanges between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall? They weren't just flirting – they were demonstrating the power of dialogue to delight the audience.

In Noir, characters rarely say exactly what they mean. Instead, they dance around the truth, trading barbs and double entendres. The moment-to-moment joy of these films derives from the cleverly written banter, punctuated by brilliant acting beats.

Banter in these films serve many purposes:

• Flirting with the love interest(s)

• Suggest characters are hiding something

• Adds characterization to the main character and femme fatale

How does banter actually work?

• Dancing around a topic with allegory

• Takings swipes at one another with clever insults

• Both characters trying to manipulate the other into doing something

Writing banter well is the ultimate unlock to keep readers glued to the page.

Lesson #2: High rate of revelations keeps the audience engaged.

The pacing of a Noir film can be broadly broken into two phases.

1. The introduction of new clues and suspects

2. Reveals that play off of the information we previously learned

Think about it: In "The Big Sleep," the plot is so convoluted that even Raymond Chandler reportedly couldn't explain who killed one of the characters. But did that matter? Not one bit. The audience was too busy trying to keep up with the constant stream of new information to care.

Having a high rate of revelation is key to good pacing. 

But what is the rate of revelation? It's how quickly new information is revealed.

The information has to be relevant to one or more of the following:

• Character Arcs

• The Mystery

• The Theme

When a scene is missing a juicy revelation it leaves the audience wondering why it was included at all.

So, how can you leverage this in your writing? Simple: Plan your reveals. Space them out. Make each chapter end with a little "ding!" of new information.

Lesson #3: The anti-hero is your new best friend

Noir protagonists are exemplified by their moral ambiguity.

Take Philip Marlowe from "The Big Sleep." He's cynical, he drinks too much, and he's not above bending the law. But we root for him because he's got a code, even if it's a twisted one.

Why does this work? Because perfect characters are boring. The Noir protagonist pretends to be a swindler to gain the trust of criminals, but actually lives by a strict moral code.

So, give your protagonists flaws. Big ones. Make them struggle with their choices. Let them fail sometimes. Your readers will thank you for it. 

Lesson #4: An ironic ending is satisfying, even when the character fails.

Here's where noir really shines: the endings. They're rarely happy, often ironic, and always memorable.

Take "Double Indemnity." Our protagonist thinks he's pulled off the perfect crime, only to end up bleeding out in an office, dictating his confession. It's a gut punch of an ending, but it feels right.

Why? Because it fits the tone of the story. It delivers on the promises made by the narrative.

So, don't be afraid to let your characters fail. Don't shy away from bittersweet endings. Just make sure they feel earned. Your readers might not thank you immediately, but they'll remember your story long after they've forgotten all those happily-ever-afters.

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Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date with a dangerous dame and a case that's nothing but trouble. 

Stay shady, writers!