We took a family trip to Chincoteague, an island in Virginia famous for horses. This fame comes from Misty of Chincoteague, a children’s novel written by Marguerite Henry. As a testament to how impactful this novel is, I read it in the early 2000s as a kid even though it was originally published in 1947! (Did any other readers go through a horse girl phase as a kid? I know there must be a few.)

Although I didn’t have time to re-read the book before our trip, we did watch the 1961 film adaptation: Misty. I often can’t help but view things as a storyteller, even when I’m in the audience. So I wanted to share a few thoughts on one thing this movie did very well that I often struggle with in my own writing and another thing where the movie went horribly wrong. (Needless to say, there will be some Misty spoilers ahead but I don’t feel particularly guilty about spoiling something over 60 years old.)

First, what went well: most new writers (and even more experienced writers in their first drafts) overshare information. Even if you use an outline, that first draft is your effort to get all the key information out, and that slows down the pace of the story and is often identified by readers or viewers as “boring.” When creators give the audience more credit to think and fill in the blanks, it’s a better experience for everyone. So instead of saying “Paul and Maureen’s parents have tragically died” right off the bat in the Misty movie, it shows brother Paul and sister Maureen playing on a beach. When Paul makes up a story about a piece of driftwood being from a ship graveyard, the mood completely shifts. Maureen looks upset, and Paul breaks from the game of make-believe and tries to change the subject. This signals the children are grieving without giving us the facts up front, making us curious to keep watching and learn more. In my view, it was very well done.

Second, what didn't go so well: the ending of the Misty film is a disaster! They left out one of the most triumphant scenes in the book where we could cheer for the protagonists and didn’t leave enough time for the confirmation of the more satisfying resolution that exists in the book. The credits rolled abruptly, and we were left feeling disappointed. I had to look up whether the movie had changed the final scenes since I didn’t remember being similarly frustrated when I read the book in my youth, and apparently it did! I have no idea why they ended early, but there may have been budget concerns on other factors I can’t know. What I do know is that choice did not serve the story and undermined the film as a whole – endings matter!

All in all, we had such a lovely family trip. We stayed at Miss Molly’s Inn, where Marguerite Henry wrote part of Misty of Chincoteague, and the bed and breakfast was beautifully preserved. We visited the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (which apparently isn’t even on Chincoteague Island but rather neighboring Assateague [– and yes, I bolded that on purpose]) and saw wild horses. Every time we saw horses, my son adorably shouted, “I think I see Misty!” (Author’s Note: The real Misty died in 1972. I felt no need to shatter the illusion.) We ate some delicious seafood and enjoyed strolling by the water. I loved the energy I felt walking the streets of the island and thinking about a great author from generations past drawing so much inspiration there.

I hope something inspires you today!

Nicole

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