“What Makes a Good Body-Swap Story?” by Joan Y. Edwards
I couldn’t find any links where professionals list the integral parts of a good body swap story. I listed what I think.
What Makes a Good Body Swap Story?
Necessary Ingredients
- Crisis – There is a good reason to swap. Both characters must be in a situation that they can’t handle or don’t want to handle as they are now. Both characters believe with all their heart and mind that being the other person would solve their problem. If they were that other person, they could achieve a certain goal.
- Magical Switch – Usually, there’s something magical that allows them to change bodies.
- Consequence – There is a consequence for changing.
- Switch Back Problem – There is a problem changing back to the way it was.
- Change Original Beliefs – Both characters must change their original beliefs that caused the switch before they can change back to their regular body.
- Magical Switch Back Success or Failure
Wikipedia says A body swap is a storytelling device seen in a variety of science and supernatural fiction, in which two people (or beings) exchange minds and end up in each other’s bodies.
Trading places with another person or changing the age of the person are fun for me to read. When I was little, probably 4 years old, I asked my mother one day, “Is it all right if I be Mrs. Meyer for awhile? She said, “Yes.” So I pretended I was her for about an hour. I swept the floor. I washed the dishes. Then after an hour, I said, “I’m tired of being Mrs. Meyer, is it okay if I be just plain Joan, now.” And of course, Mother said, “Yes.”
After that I enjoyed being in plays in elementary, high school, and college. I stuck to pretending for a short time. I even did a concentration in drama when I was in college.
Body swap stories are fun for me. Body swap stories are even more fun to watch as a movie.
Movies
Big
Freaky Friday
Like Father, Like Son
Heaven Can Wait
Change Up
Dating the Enemy
Books
Every Day by David Levithan a girl inhabits a different person’s body for 24 hours and then swaps again for 24 hours.
Akeshi Kovacs body swap novels by Richard K. Morgan
Mindswap by Robert Sheckley A science fiction novel in which Marvin Flynn, who cannot afford an interplanetary vacation by any other means, answers an ad to Mindswap (sort of like vacation time shares, except you swap bodies instead of houses) with a Martian.
Resources:
20 Best Body Swap Films https://www.gamesradar.com/20-best-body-swap-movies/
10 Best “Body Switching” Movies https://www.liveabout.com/top-best-body-switching-movies-2432052
Books that involve body swapping:
https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/3dvo1n/a_book_that_involves_body_swapping/
Thank you for reading my blog. Please leave a comment telling me what you think makes a good body-swap story and your favorite body swapping book or movie.
Never Give Up
Be well.
Stay safe.
Joan Y. Edwards
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Robert Heinlein had a story in which a man suffered terrible injuries, and his secretary (from memory) offered her body for his personality. It was a very funny story, though I disapproved of the sexual elements.
Dear Bob,
Thanks for sharing about Robert Heinlein’s story. It does sound like it would help the man with terrible injuries! Sometimes we have to disregard content we don’t like and enjoy the rest, right? Thanks for being a loyal subscriber and sharing interesting pieces of information with me.
Stay well.
Be Safe.
Never Give Up
Joan
The Prince and the Pauper came to mind. Switching roles, switching bodies, wearing many hats. All similar. Never thought of it that way before. You have me thinking, even in the early morning hours. Lol! Enjoy your fantasy! And your day!
Dear Linda,
Thank you for writing. I appreciate that you shared the Prince and the Pauper. I’ll have to check it out. I’m glad that I got your brain stirring in fun directions this morning. Have a great day! I’m enjoying my fantasy trying to decide who I’d switch bodies with and why?
Never Give Up
Be Well.
Stay Safe.
Love
Joan
I loved the movies on your list of films! I have some on DVD and periodically dig them out and watch them.
Dear Melanie,
Thank you for writing. It is so much fun to learn that we both enjoy the same body-swap movies.It is often interesting to watch a favorite movie another time. Your perspective changes and you catch different parts you might not have focused on the first three times you watched it. Thanks for being a loyal subscriber.
Be well.
Stay safe.
Never Give Up
Joan
So interesting, Joan. I’d like to body swap with my cat and lay on the bed until the stay-at-home is lifted. The idea of sleeping through all this sounds inviting. I’m sure there would be issues to write about if the cat became me!
Dear Gretchen,
Thank you for writing. I’m glad you found the Body-Swap post interesting. It’s fun to visualize you as a cat. You’re right, there would definitely be problems for the cat being you. The cat would rebel with all that work it would have to accomplish!
Never Give Up
Be safe.
Be well.
Joan
never thought about this. Interesting!
Dear Carol,
Thank you very much. I’m glad it was thought provoking for you!
Never Give Up
Stay well.
Joan