Phone Booth

Current technology determines plot. A character in present time doesn’t have to go all over the place to find a phone, or jump through hoops to use one.

The phone booth used to be ubiquitous. They even made a movie, starring Colin Farrell, in which the phone booth was the central prop. It was a very good movie.

We hardly ever encounter a phone both anymore. Wireless calls and cell phones have made it obsolete. Wikipedia feels the need to explain what a phone booth is. The phone booth will probably disappear entirely.

Further back there was Pillow Talk, with Rock Hudson and Doris Day. The plot revolved around access to the phone. The Doris Day character, a single woman, could not even get her own line. She had to share a party line with Rock Hudson’s character, who was womanizing constantly. The movie’s interiors depict a world largely lost to us.

This all shows that current technology shapes plot. If you want a character to do something that he can’t do now, make up some technology that lets him do it. Technology can be used to build tension and suspense. Are you writing a memoir for your children or grand-children? Then giving attention to the way things were can communicate vividly how different things were for you when you were their age. Kids love to learn that stuff about their grandparents. Your writing can bring the generations closer.

Next time: Genre