The webbed finger technique

The technique of webbed fingers in writing links each narrative element to two others, creating a collective force that pushes the story and its coherence, like the membranes on a duck’s legs, which powerfully push the water to produce forward movement.

What if we compared narrative elements to fingers?

Webbed fingers, like those of a duck, for example, have two functions:

• On one hand, the function of a finger, which allows for grasping, pointing, and performing precise actions.
• On the other hand, the function of a webbed foot, which, thanks to the membranes between the fingers, provides great power in water, enabling a strong push against a large volume of water, corresponding to the entire surface of the foot.
• Whereas fingers without webbing can only push a very small amount of water.

In screenwriting, when advancing the story through the juxtaposition or sequencing of situations and events, these narrative elements can be compared to actions performed by fingers, which carry out specific actions one after the other. The narrative work is done, but without much power.

The webbed fingers technique in screenwriting involves thinking about each action we introduce into the story, each element we add, in relation to the two other nearby elements, the two other “fingers” on either side, envisioning a surface that connects them. It may seem obvious to consider an element in relation to others, but when you’re “in the weeds” of writing and need to move things forward, you often focus on a single element without being aware of all its interactions at that stage. These interactions are numerous and naturally difficult to envision. This is precisely where this technique can be useful.

Envisioning narration as a volume and weight to move

The webbed fingers technique allows, by mentally visualizing a finger connected to others by membranes, to move a much larger volume than if the three fingers were considered in isolation. This image helps to never forget to connect a narrative element to at least two others and to consider how these elements will advance the story, even if it remains invisible or unconscious. Since the big picture is so difficult to grasp, this technique allows you to take the whole into account without getting lost, as you consider the relationship of one element with only two others, creating this “surface of thrust.” You imagine pushing a large volume of water, which is always indistinct yet so important, as it represents the global energy of the narrative, in tension with the unique element you are currently working on.

For example, the sentence “they lived happily ever after and had many children” is a webbed fingers technique. It provides specific narrative information but implies infinitely more. It pushes forward an entire life with this sentence. It’s a shame that this often only happens at the end of stories, because precisely in this powerful flow, each narrative element would be carried along and powerfully propelled forward, driving the whole narrative with it.