If You Want to be A Writer, You Should be Watching TV. Here’s Why.
Television can make you a better storyteller. Honest.
Since she was small, my daughter Ruby and I have had a habit of listening to Delilah on the radio during our drive home from soccer or basketball practice.
A couple of years ago Delilah said something on her program that caught my attention. She said that she hasn’t had a television in her house for almost 20 years.
I guess she must have hit the 20 year mark by now.
If she or one of her (many, many) children want to relax, she said, they read a book.
That sounds virtuous enough. I mean, I’m a novelist. I’m hardly going to argue with anyone who wants to read a book.
It was thrown out there with a tone of virtuosity, certainly. And, since books are my jam, I’m all for more reading. I’m a writer and a teacher. You’ll definitely never hear me say that anyone needs to read less.
But it still made me cringe.
Because if you are a creative person — and especially if you’re a writer — skipping television all together is a big mistake in my opinion.
There are three big ways to take in stories. Books (written or audio), movies, and television. And…
