What is Method Writing? Meaningless Buzzword or Useful Tool?

The market for stories has a wealth of new entrants every year. This is of little help to most writers who do not need any further reminders that they are in a tough industry. New approaches to writing, however, could be helpful to some writers seeking to stand out in such a competitive field or to break through writer’s block. And one approach that has gathered momentum in recent times is “method writing”.

Introduction: What is Method Writing?

But what is method writing? Intuitively, it is to writers and writing, what “method acting” is to actors and acting.

• Method acting is a range of techniques designed to encourage actors to inhabit the character they’re playing. This results in increased empathy, understanding and performances with greater authenticity.
• It’s credited with enabling iconic performances and has defined some of the greatest actors of all time.
• Oscar winners Marlon Brando, Daniel Day-Lewis, Kate Winslet and Christian Bale are among its devotees.

Crafting effective stories relies upon creating compelling characters, plot, and environment. This is even better if they are original, unique, and specific. Just as method acting enables actors to comprehensively embody a character rather than just fulfil a role, method writing should enable writers to design characters and what they say in an authentic way.

Ok fine, but how does this manifest itself for wordsmiths?

Employing Method Writing

Imagine if The Revenant screenwriter, Mark L. Smith, had himself lived in the wilds of British Columbia, negotiating icy rivers and eating a buffalo heart (as Leonardo DiCaprio famously did).

Would that have worked in making the role more authentic on the page? And furthermore, if there is too much instruction and performative detail already written on the page, does that mean less work or less satisfaction for actors?

This piece will argue the pros and cons of this style and analyze whether it is a legit process or just a pretentious buzzword.

Simply put, in order to either validate or invalidate method writing before anything else it needs to serve one main thing – story.

• If it can be proven to help writers write unique, specific, and original stories then yes it is a useful tool. 
• However, if it is too esoteric and not generally practicable in aiding the writing process, it might just be another empty phrase.