Sleeping Beauty and Simplicity

I went to the El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles to watch Sleeping Beauty. It was nice watching a Disney classic on the big screen, and it really has a charm that I do not see in much media today. Maleficent is of course just an iconic character and villain in all media from her design to behavior. The story, in my opinion, is basic but done well and creatively. I can appreciate things like the art, colors and backgrounds much more now as an adult.

I subscribe to the idea of keeping it simple and not over-complicating a story. Like in Sleeping Beauty, there is a protagonist, a villain and a conflict that needs to be resolved. Writing my own fantasy stories, I generally abide by that simplicity, but in a book, I can draw out the characters and conflicts much more than in a time-constrained movie. Some writers can do twists and turns quite well, but I am just unequipped to do so.

I am still learning this writing stuff, as I am pretty much self-taught. Even after years of writing The Mustard Prince, I am improving on the story and the characters. New criticism and different media bring something that I did not see before.