Child readers are even smarter.
“Whenever you write, whatever you write, never make the mistake of assuming the audience is any less intelligent than you are.” -Rod Serling
“The audience is not only amazingly sensitive, but as it settles into a darkened theatre its collective IQ jumps twenty-five points. When you go to the movies, don’t you often feel you’re more intelligent than what you’re watching?… The audience is not only smart, it’s smarter than most films…It’s all a writer can do, using all the craft he’s mastered, to keep ahead of the sharp perceptions of a focused audience.” – Robert McKee
You often hear the platitude of not “writing down” to kids, but McKee’s quote, from his book on screenwriting, struck me. Is it true? Do I really get smarter when I walk into a movie theatre?
I think the answer is yes.
The reason lies in the amazing capacity of the human brain to synthesize information and find patterns. Sometimes that intake of information happens on a subconscious or purely emotional level. We sense danger, but we’re not sure why. A slight change in ambient sound, and we’re running to the bathroom, convinced the toddler’s gotten into the shaving cream again. A small quirk of a man’s smile, and we’re certain that he’s hiding a dark secret.
Movies are a tremendous barrage of information, and we are captivated by them, fully immersed in an alternate world for a couple of hours. Images, sounds, dialogue, facial expressions … a thousand bits of information a second, and our brain soaks it up, processes it, and spits back out a pattern, an organized understanding…a story.
Books are captivating in a different, but similar, way. The movie plays in our heads, created by the script we read on the page. But it’s even more powerful, because we fill in our own nuances, expressions, motivations. And we can dive into the character’s heads, something movies don’t allow. We KNOW what that character is thinking as he sneaks down the darkened hallway, creeping up on the rusted shut door with the ominous looking key dangling in the lock. Don’t open the door! we shout, because the writer has led us to believe there’s something wicked that way.
How do you stay one step ahead of this terribly brilliant person, the reader?
Master the craft and form of storytelling. Layer in clues, but not too many. Raise the tension and pace, so they don’t have time to think before the twist is upon them. Make it impossible to predict, but obvious in retrospect.
These things are hard, but no one ever said writing was easy.
And never, ever assume your reader isn’t smart enough to figure it out. Especially if they are children.
“You have to write whichever book it is that wants to be written. And then, if it’s going to be too difficult for grown-ups, you write it for children.” -Madeleine L’Engle
Speaking of smart readers, I have some of the most erudite in the blogosphere! To celebrate reaching my 300th follower mark, I’m hosting a giveaway this week!
PRIZES!
1) A book of your choice. No, it doesn’t have to be erudite literature. Yes, it can be brain candy. It’s your choice. No judgment here. π
2) A twenty page critique of the opening of your WIP by yours truly.
Those are TWO separate prizes, so please indicate which one you want to be entered for (or both! Also an option!).
RULES!
1) Be a follower (this is a follower celebration after all).
2) Tweet if you like, Facebook if you can, but you MUST leave a comment. Else, how will I know you were here? All comments, in any post this week, count! But leave one by 9 am EST Friday, when I will pick and post the winner.
3) Use a big word today. Out loud. Or I’ll send a sparkly vampire after you. (Also, you could share it in the comments, if you would like to broaden our vocabularial horizons. Yes, I made that noun an adjective. Have a problem with that?)
Most importantly … THANK YOU to all my delightful followers! You help make this ethereal piece of the blogosphere a writerly home, and I love you for it!
p.s. As if ONE giveaway isn’t enough, check back tomorrow for another cool contest announcement! π
Congrats on the followers. Hmm…I'll enter for the 20 page crit. Thanks for offering. For some odd reason monochromatic came to mind. I'll use it, OUT LOUD. lol I Facebooked and tweeted you, too.
Oh wow – you and I were sharing brainwaves Susan! I launched a contest this morning as well:) Okay, I'll enter for the book choice and will tweet it ASAP:)
@Sheri Thanks for spreading the word! And monochromatic is a good, chewy word! π
@Lindsay I'll have to come check out yours too! Thanks for the tweet! π
Such tough choices. I'll go for the book! Congrats on reaching 300 followers. Pretty cool.
@Laura Thanks for the tweet! π
i love this post! so true! i'm reading a wrinkle in time aloud to my middle son now (i've never read it before!) and it's amazing how my little six-year-old understands everything so vividly!
i'll enter for the critique! π
Hmm…I'll take the book! And I'll blog about it this Friday. Is Friday okay? Wait, I just re-read it, Friday's not okay. How about Thursday? K, I'll do Thursday!
And yes, I think my child is actually smarter than me. π
~JD
Great post! Most definitely the audience is sharp, but sometimes I think I take this too far in my attempts not to talk down at my readers, and so sometimes close off elements of the story, making it too vague, too subtle, too insubstantial. There's a place for directness, taken in moderation.
And my word of the day is: seawrack – material cast on shore, often seaweed.
And book! book! book! Am I even capable of turning down a free book? I think not.
@Aspiring I need to re-read Wrinkle in Time! How wonderful you're sharing it with your little one!
@Justine Thursday is great! Thanks for the blogger love! π P.s. I know for a fact my kids are smarter than me.
@Bryan Ah, the balance between subtle and clarity – it is SO tricky! I was helping a friend recently with this in a crit – making sure enough is there for the reader to clearly grasp the character's conflict without beating them with a hammer. π And you get bonus points for a Big Word I didn't know!! Awesome.
What an interesting and inspiring post. I shall never view movie watching the same way again. π
I'd love to be entered for the 20 page crit. What an awesome contest!
Congrats on the 300 followers! π
I try not to explain too much to my readers–I just assume they have the wits to uncover all penetralia awaiting them…(yes 'penetralia' is my Big Word!)
That said, I'm not always sure I come across clearly, so I'd sure love a critique! π
@Jenn McKee's book totally changed the way I see movies! π
@JB Holy cow…I had to look that one up! And it means "secret places" people! π
yeah, heheh, I've raised a few brows using that word π
Congrats indeed on all your followers. You've got a very intelligent blog here and do a great job of raising the IQ level of your readers. Maintaining the balance between not talking down and yet not getting ahead of your audience is tough, especially when writing for kids. I always have to remember that I'm writing for boys, not grownups, and not get too high-falutin' yet also have to remember that I have advanced readers and grownups, so I can't be too simple either.
BTW, I'll start a contest on the Boys Read blog tomorrow and Dark Omen might be interested.
Also, I'm taking a class at the local university and will write about the etymology of Percy Jackson's first name. Now THERE'S your big word for the day!
I have a new student who is uber-tall. I called him a behemoth. Congrats on your followers, Susan. Here's to the NEXT 300! π
I'm still positive books make you smarter than movies do. π
Great contest! Since you're already going to beta read my wip (at some point), I'll enter for the book giveaway. π
A great idea for a contest! Rushes off to edit her latest blog post…
I definitely don't want any sparkly vampires coming after me! Congrats on reaching 300 followers! That's awesome. I would love to win some brain candy – er, I mean a book. π
*throws confetti* Congrats on the 300 denizens! I'd like to be in the contest for the critique.
Erudite word: incunabula–texts printed (not handwritten) before 1500
@Carl Thanks for your sweet words! And etymology = WIN, love that word! I shall check out your contest tommorrow, and alert Dark Omen!
@Shannon I can hardly believe I reached 300, I can't imagine the next! π
@Stina I have no doubt that books grow brain cells.
@Deniz Thanks for the blogger love! π
@Lisa LOL You probably attract the sparkly ones with all the supernatural on your site, anyway.
@lotus Wow. That's a cool one! I didn't know there was a word for that. I would have said, "Um, really old writing." LOL
I think there's another reason we become more intelligent when we step into a theatre. We perceive more than the information the movie gives us. We feel the room's mood. We can tell when the audience is ill at ease, and it puts us off, too.
Would it be possible to delay the critique? I'd love to have it, but there's no sense in giving you the first 20 pages of a first draft. I'd feel like I'm wasting your time!
If not, hey, give it to someone ready for it. π
@Claudie Crits don't come with a time limit – more they should be used how works best for you. So you're in on that! π And I like your observation about the audience mood – definitely true how that can heighten the tension or awareness of the scene!
This is a great post! I always think it's so important to leave "space" in writing for the reader to think and process what's happening.
Congrats on reaching 300 followers – and thanks for the contest.
Wow, great post and congrats on the 300 mark. That is a great achievement. I had no idea how much my brain would travail trying to think of a big word to use today. Have a good one. π
Congrats! Are you doing the happy dance? I will be if I win the free book. π Sign me up.
@Andrea I like the idea of "space" – sort of like the white space in poetry that helps to shape the words! Nice.
@Regina Travail! I caught it, and nice way to use it in a sentence. π
@Leisha *happy dance* *happy dance* π
Great contest, Susan. Congrats on the followers and your super blog. It's such a joyful place.
thanks for the extraordinary contest! I love the picture, it reminds me of my oldest son when he was very young. He would take a book to bed with him and we would have to go in later and slide it out from his grasp after he had went to sleep. I would love to win the critique. Congratulations on all your followers.
@CLee Thanks for your kind words and for stopping by! π
@Janet The little book-lovers are so cute! π Thanks for entering!
Wow, 300 followers! That's great. And what an awesome contest. Hmm, I can't decide which prize is better. Hmm, I guess I'll go for the book. I'll let my critique group tackle my manuscript. As for using big words, I'm an English major and use them all the time. My almost-four-year-old talks like she's thirty because she's picked up on more than a few of them. It's fun to watch people's faces when they talk to her for the first time!
You didn't mention leaving emails, but here's mine just in case: khashway (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Hiya!
A 20 page critique would be great. As far as the subtle and not so subtle differences between films and books, one is a more visual, plot-driven extravaganza, and the other, a more personal, internalized journey. Um, okay, I've used a few big words, teacher!
No, really, when I meditate on my novel's scenes and plot points, it unfolds as a film. The two are very connected for me.
@Kelly I love how kids pick up word from their parents! Well, at least the good ones … LOL!
@Catherine Extravaganza – one of those words that just rolls off the tongue! π
As I finish up working on my book that's definitely way too difficult for grownups, I'm looking forward to a little more recreational reading time – sign me up for the free book.
And at the dinner table I used the word precipitate, not to mean what clouds do but to mean something that brings on an event. My daughter nearly died laughing because she thought at first I was talking about rain.
@Rebecca You and your daughter are both awesome! And I can't wait to read that new book! π
Susan, a very tantilizing offer. How about you decide? Either prize would be wonderful!
Reaching 300 followers takes a lot of work and dedication. Congratulations on your great success!
I love this post. Not 'writing down' to my YA readers is important to me. In fact, one of the best remarks I received on a recent contest entry was that I didn't write down to the reader. Made me smile ear to ear. Goal accomplished. Now, if I could just bump up the followers on my blog. π
I'd love a 20-page critique. I've tweeted this and will copy the link to Facebook.
I'd love a critique. I learned a new word this week–hamartia. It means tragic flaw.
@Jonene Thanks for stopping by!!
@moonlight Thanks for spreading the word!!
@Okie Hamartia … ooh… I like the way that one sounds. π
Fabulous! I just tweeted. WOuld love to win the critique. π
I'm stealing a word from a great movie – today my kids will learn what "inception" means! I love this word! It explains how I can be just writing innocently along in my WIP, and suddenly a new idea pops in there, and I'm like – what? – and then – that's so COOL! Did I think of that?
Also, your post reminded me of Across the Universe, which I just finished reading, and WOW! the layers and layers of subtle clue-dropping and plot manipulation. So impressed!
@PK Thanks for the tweet!
@Margo I love inception (the word and the movie)! And I'm embarassed that I haven't read AtU (it's sitting on my pile) – I KNOW it's awesome, but there's just been too many other things…
Yay, 300! I always read TUCK EVERLASTING to my 5th grade class. You haven't lived until you've had a grand conversation about immortality with a room of ten year olds. They are wise beyond their years and deserve a lot more intellectual credit than they are often given.
@Leslie That is so cool! And yes their big little brains are amazing. π
Please send a sparkly vamp after me π
beth-project52.blogspot.com
@Beth LOL! That is the BEST answer YET! π
The photo of the boy reading the book is mine and that is my son. Please either give credit to me as the photographer and my son Braxton or take down the photo. Thank you.
Angie Hill
Do you have a link where I can give credit?
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