Apologies for the lateness of this blog post. As some of you may already know, my daughter was admitted to hospital on Friday night and is still there, so I am not prepared with posts as I usually am. I have a little time before visiting hours start and have wanted to write this post for a while so thought as it’s been banging around in my head for some time, it would be the easiest option to try and get down into post format.
Are you a writer? And if so, are you constantly being told by social media streams and content that you should turn off your TV and read more books? I imagine you are because I am. Well, I have an opposing view for you. I think you need to watch more TV. Yes, you heard me right. Watch more TV.
Now, I don’t mean watch in more quantity. Let me explain myself a little better.
I watch quite a lot of American dramas and not just crime dramas. I just soak up their dramas. I think they do them brilliantly. And while watching a few of them, I started to notice I was watching them differently. I wasn’t just watching for the sit down, switch off the demands of the day and enjoy, moment, I was watching them as a writer reads a book. Like a writer. I was watching long story arcs. I was listening to dialogue. I was picking up ideas!
Here’s a for instance TV show I watch and think is great for long form story arcs – Scandal. As well as being great full stop. I mean, what a show! It has some very clever arcs running, and character relationships to watch. How the relationships form, change, readjust to changing events when something is thrown at them. The writers of this show are on top form.
I also watched Newsroom which was on Boxsets and only ran for three seasons more the pity as it was also brilliant. The writer for that show, Aaron Sorkin is amazing. His mind is genius.
Yes crime shows, if it’s crime you love, are great for watching what you love, but consider looking elsewhere for watching masterΒ (script)writers at work. For watching those long form arcs in play. For great dialogue, characters, relationships. For ideas. Be inspired by watching and listening in a way you maybe wouldn’t normally. Check out a straight cut drama that’s not crime and see how they work with what they have, when they’re not solving how that dead body turned up.
Watch some TV!
Alex J. Cavanaugh (@AlexJCavanaugh) says
Prayers for your daughter!
I’m all for more television.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Alex. I love tv π
Margot Kinberg says
Rebecca – I hope your daughter is doing better! And about TV? I think there are some great things about certain TV dramas. They can be inspiring and they do have some things to offer when it comes to developing story arcs and characters over time. I ought to really think about TV more from that perspective. Thanks for the ‘food for thought.’
Rebecca Bradley says
You’re welcome Margot. It’s been running around in my mind for ages. The script writers really show some fabulous writing skills.
Steph says
Hi Rebecca, hope that your daughter is continuing to improve and soon back home. I love TV drama, US, UK and also some Australian. Box sets are great, especially if you have more than one series to catch up on. I’m aggrieved that I will have to wait for Fortitude though.
Rebecca Bradley says
I love box sets because you don’t have to wait after the end of episode cliff hangers.
mbarkersimpson says
I’m so sorry to hear about your daughter. My thoughts and wishes are with you.
I agree with you about television. I’m obsessed with crime shows and police procedurals. This passion certainly influenced my Morgan and Fairchild series. Reading is a given when it comes to improving our writing, but TV is often overlooked. It’s just a visual representation after all π
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Mel. TV is definitely overlooked. I think people forget actual writers are behind the programmes.
cath says
I’ve cut down on my telly watching. Now I only watch good dramas (yes, they are more often than not crime), Only Connect & QI. The amount of time I’ve wasted in front of the box over the years is ridiculous :-0
Rebecca Bradley says
I agree that you can generally watch too much. It’s about being choosy and watching programmes you’ll enjoy and can maybe learn from as well. I’ve cut down my watching. I’m just becoming more discerning.
CrimeReaderBlog says
I loved The Newsroom too, such a shame it had ended. My current favourites are The Good Wife (returning this week with Season 6) and Revenge (I think we’re on Season 4 but I may have lost track with its intricate plot).
Rebecca Bradley says
It was a fabulous series wasn’t it! I couldn’t believe the last season only had six episodes either.
nicolamon says
Yes, yes, yes! Sorry if I’ve gone a bit like Meg Ryan from that famous scene, but I completely agree Rebecca. There’s some amazing TV out there at the moment. Absolutely wonderful storytelling.
Rebecca Bradley says
Definitely. I think people forget there are actual writers behind these things.
nicolamon says
PS I hope your daughter’s doing okay and that you have her home with you soon xx
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you. I’m sure it’ll work out fine x
hollykerrauthor says
I’m sorry to hear about your daughter. I hope she’s doing better.
Television is one of the things which can inspire my writing – if it’s well written! And there are a few really good writers in T.V land. I’m inspired by the dialogue and the character arcs and even the creation of the worlds. My favourites are Aaron Sorkin and Joss Whedon – I’d read the telephone book if either of them wrote it!!
Rebecca Bradley says
Exactly! People forget there are writers behind these things. Joss Whedon is also a great one. We can learn so much from the right programmes if we watch them properly.
crimeworm says
I hope your daughter makes a full and fast recovery Rebecca, it must be a huge worry. I’m with you on The Newsroom, bizarrely I didn’t know anyone else who watched it. Gutted it’s finished. I like Scandal, but I can tell Mr C thinks it’s a bit soapy – I could watch it and just drool over Olivia’s clothes…how does she look so immaculate?
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you. It’s slow. It seems to be a pretty bad virus that has hold.
The Newsroom was wonderful and you’re right, I didn’t know anyone else who watched it! And ooooh yes, Olivia’s clothes! I could watch it just for that π
Jacqui Murray says
Haha—I have the same reaction (brilliant!) to Brit dramas, like Dr. Who, George Gently and Wire in the Blood (any other great ones?)
Rebecca Bradley says
Ah, I love how we’re both attracted to the opposites over the pond! π DR Who has some brilliant story arcs running through series, though sometimes they can be quite difficult to keep up with!
LM Milford says
Hi Rebecca,
Hope your daughter is feeling better. I agree with you regarding quality and quantity. I sometimes feel that watching TV is a waste of my time but it’s nice to switch off your brain and just watch, or indeed look at something from a different angle.
The Newsroom was fab. I also like Elementary and of course Castle. Castle is a really good example of an ongoing storyline that strung beautifully through six series!
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Lynne, she’s still struggling but I’m sure we’ll get there.
I think we can easily get sucked into the TV, into sitting in front of it for hours on end with no purpose, but if we choose wisely, it can be relaxing and also informative. And yes, I also like both Elementary and Castle! π
Corina says
I hope your daughter recuperates quickly!
I mostly don’t watch anything anymore. There are maybe four or five shows that I enjoy. I have problems with a lot of the shows these days because, to me, there are no characters that have any redeeming qualities. They are all bad guys, evil guys, and then evilest guys. I’ll watch almost anything once but if it doesn’t grab me in the first episode or show a promise to grab me soon, I drop it. I think there are some amazing novels and novel series that would make far better television than most of what is on right now. Of course, that’s in the US. I don’t know what’s on other places. No cable here. So if I can’t watch it on network TV or stream it, I don’t have access to it.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you Corina. It’s slow but I’m sure we will get there.
I think you probably have a good balance. You have the shows you enjoy and then plenty of time left to do the other things in life you want to do rather than being sat in front of a TV! π
Victoria Lagnehag says
I’m so sorry to hear about your daughter, my thoughts are with you both and hope that she will be home soon.
I’ve been dying to watch Scandal, everyone’s raving about it. Unfortunately they are not showing it over here yet, can you believe it! I must try to find the boxset online.xxx
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Vicki, she’s home today, though I still don’t think she’s well enough, but that’s another issue.
You should watch Scandal as soon as you can, it’s a brilliant show. I was hooked as soon as I started watching it π
Julie Flanders says
I’m sorry to hear about your daughter. I hope she is recovering and back home by now. Hugs to both of you.
As far as tv, I’m an addict and think tv has some of the best writing out there nowadays. Like you I am a fan of the continuing arcs and love more series than I can count.
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks Julie. I’m fetching her home today.
TV does have some great writers on it now doesn’t it? continuing arcs are the things that keep us hooked and I think they have really learnt to master those now π
writerdsnelson says
Agreed, Rebecca! Hope your daughter’s better soon. X
Rebecca Bradley says
Thank you x
nancyrae4 says
Hope your daughter is doing well:)
Funny you should mention American tv because I’ve been watching tons of British and European tv on Netflix. We Americans tend to think our stuff is the very best and sometimes it’s great, but I had NO idea what fantastically plotted and crafted movies and series are out there! And yes, I do watch like a writer, but mostly I just have to give in and enjoy. Great blog!
Rebecca Bradley says
Thanks, Nancy. It’s slow but we’ll get there.
It’s funny how we like to watch the opposing countries TV isn’t it? Probably to get a view of the world across the pond and the reality is neither world is like what we view on the television, but it makes good TV anyway π
Gwen says
Ever since I’ve started writing seriously, I’ve noticed I’ve looked at shows differently. Movies too, but not as much. Maybe that’s wrong. Especially for adaptations, they’re a great study on how adjust ideas or what to hide and what to show.
Rebecca Bradley says
It’s funny how that happens isn’t it? That we look at them differently. Like you, movies aren’t something I notice much as the story is told over a compacted period of time. But that of itself poses its own issues which we can work from.
Linda King says
I completely agree that TV is great inspiration for writing. I don’t watch a lot so should probably try to watch more!
Rebecca Bradley says
I think it’s about balance. I am really selective. I decide what I really enjoy and scrap the rest. I do need the time for reading and writing but there are some great tv writers out there!