Cookies with Frog and Toad
I haven't read any Frog and Toad since I was about six year old. Based on this short (under four minutes) claymation adaptation of one of their stories, I've been missing out. Look how perfectly they capture the eternal struggle not to binge on cookies in just three lines:
FROG: *puts cookies in box* There. Now we will not eat any more cookies.
TOAD: But we can open the box.
FROG: That is true.
What was that willpower thing you mentioned again, Frog?
Seriously, though, it does an amazing job of introducing a relatable character dilemma, showing the struggle, and resolving it (for a certain value of resolving, anyway) in a way which is very concise but also clear and puts you right in the moment with them. It probably helps that we've all been there, whether it's with cookies or some other food or activity which will have negative effects if we over-indulge, but still. I feel like I should be taking notes on writing technique.
FROG: *puts cookies in box* There. Now we will not eat any more cookies.
TOAD: But we can open the box.
FROG: That is true.
What was that willpower thing you mentioned again, Frog?
Seriously, though, it does an amazing job of introducing a relatable character dilemma, showing the struggle, and resolving it (for a certain value of resolving, anyway) in a way which is very concise but also clear and puts you right in the moment with them. It probably helps that we've all been there, whether it's with cookies or some other food or activity which will have negative effects if we over-indulge, but still. I feel like I should be taking notes on writing technique.
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