A lot of people say my books are very cinematic; That they’d make great movies. Certainly when I’m writing, I see things very clearly in my head. That might be because I have a background making television and documentaries.
When I make documentaries, I have to tell a story visually – with pictures.
No one is going to watch a film that is just a lot of talking heads! It gets too boring. So instead I have to think up scenes – action or things I can show – that will communicate the information I need the audience to know in order for them to understand what’s happening.
Thinking up things you can show to convey information is actually a good skill for any writer. You often hear people say ‘show’ don’t ‘tell’ when you’re writing a story. In truth, sometimes you have to tell, but in general, ‘showing’ your reader – using action – is more dynamic. It’s more interesting and engaging.
It’s like the example I gave yesterday. You can tell your reader that your character is superstitious or you can show they are by having them hop down the street trying to avoid stepping on any cracks in the pavement.
The other reason my writing might be cinematic – like a movie – is because as a kid, I actually watched a lot of TV. TV, I think, has influenced my writing a lot. I also loved comics which have lots of pictures.
I think you kids today are probably the most visual generation ever. You live in a world of images! So I can’t wait to see what stories you tell. I mean show!!
Here are a few shots from my documentary Wide Open Sky. It’s about a children’s choir in outback Australia.
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