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King of Movie Imagery

In 1980, Stephen King wrote an essay about creating great movie imagery:

Some critics have accused me -- and it always comes out sounding like an accusation -- of writing for the movies. It's not true, but I suppose there's some justification for the idea; all of my novels to date have been sold to the movies.

That essay is now available onine and as relevant as ever.

Think of it as a precursor to The Blank Page's advice:

Here is an example of a typical, amateur action-description:

INT. JAKE'S OFFICE - NIGHT

Jake is sitting behind his desk. He stands and moves to a light switch. Turns it on. The room fills with light. Jake looks over at the window. There is a book holding the window open. He moves to it and picks up the book. A look of surprise crosses his face. It is an autographed copy of CUJO.

Stephanie enters.

STEPHANIE
Happy birthday.

This is the type of action-description that doesn't get your reader past page 10, and instead gets it filed in "Pasadena!" ("Pasadena" is what the studio reader shouts out as he tosses it in the trash can.)

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About J. Ott

John Ott is a writer, filmmaker and futurist. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.