Vendors peeled salted cucumbers, squeezed fresh pickle juice, roasted chickpeas and yelled over one another while motorists blasted their horns for no reason at all. The sensory experience gets even better when Shafak introduces taste and smell: A long, winding wooden staircase led from the living room to the first-floor landing. Shadows danced on the walls as if across cavernous space. Their house in Van was so large that even whispers echoed throughout. The descriptions pull us into their story: Vivid imagery creates a mental movieĮlif Shafak’s storytelling is extraordinarily vivid.Įven though I’ve never been to Turkey, it’s like I’m there, together with Leila-the main character of the book-and her friends. This post is about directing mental movies-a useful skill in any type of writing, whether you’re writing a novel, a business newsletter, a blog post, or a product description. A good storyteller directs a mental movie in the reader’s mind. We’re experiencing the story as if we’re there with the protagonist. Firstly, a good storyteller keeps a good pace and uses cliffhangers to keep us hooked so we’re eager to find out what’s happening next.Īnd secondly, a storyteller pulls readers into a different world. This book reminds me of the two basic requirements of good storytelling. I was reading the book 10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in This Strange World by Elif Shafak.
What I was hearing, smelling, and seeing was not what was happening in my room. Good writers invite readers into a different world And I smell tobacco, sweat, fried food, and a whiff of salty sea air. I hear shoe-shine brushes rattling against brass boxes. I see tourists bent under the weight of their backpacks. I hear drivers catcalling out of car windows. Seconds later, I enter the hustle and bustle of an Istanbul market … The bright sunlight lights up the room, and my pillow feels comfy. Lying on the sofa for a mid-afternoon break, I hear a dove cooing. For a moment, I appreciate the peacefulness.
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