Turning Emotions Into Images on the Page with Gary Smith
“If you write well, readers see your story differently—but they see it. It’s a visual medium, even in text.”
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What happens when a fine art photographer becomes a novelist?
In this episode of The Storytelling Lab, Rain Bennett sits down with Gary Smith, a visual artist turned fiction author, who brings a unique perspective to the craft: writing as seeing.
Gary explains how his background in photography shapes the way he builds scenes, characters, and emotions on the page. His process begins with feeling, moves through visualization, and ends with carefully structured prose that reads like a cinematic experience.
The conversation dives deep into discipline, creativity, character development, and how the act of storytelling can help both writer and reader reflect on life’s deeper questions. Gary shares how years of long-distance running and construction work taught him the habits and resilience that now power his writing routine.
This episode is packed with wisdom for any writer who wants to create stories that resonate visually, emotionally, and philosophically.
In the episode, you will learn to:
Develop a storytelling mindset that starts with feeling and translates to visual scenes on the page
Build a daily writing practice grounded in discipline, not motivation
Use your life experience to create authentic, layered characters
See your scenes cinematically and structure your chapters like movie frames
Understand how self-publishing can be a fulfilling and strategic path for fiction writers
“If you write well, readers see your story differently—but they see it. It’s a visual medium, even in text.”
- Gary E. Smith
If you want to learn how to write a story that creates vivid images in the minds of your audience, this is the episode for you!
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Some of the highlights of the episode:
00:00 – Writing Like a Photographer: Capturing Feelings, Not Scenes
02:28 – Gary’s Shift from Visual Art to Written Word
05:20 – Emotion vs. Equipment: Which Comes First?
08:18 – Lessons from Ansel Adams and Embracing New Tools
12:10 – How a Photo Book Inspired a Creative Rebirth
13:46 – Discovering the Joy of Writing Through Italian Essays
15:35 – Discipline, Athletics, and the Writing Mindset
19:07 – Building a Daily Writing Habit with Muscle Memory
20:32 – Visualizing Scenes Like Film Frames
22:56 – Are His Novels Meant to Feel Cinematic?
24:56 – Writing in Short Chapters That Function Like Scenes
26:38 – Why Writing Is More Liberating Than Filmmaking
28:41 – Reader Imagination vs. Author Control
30:36 – Film Adaptations vs. Authorial Ownership
32:12 – Building Stories Through Character and Theme
34:23 – Writing to Spark Reflection in the Reader
36:10 – Undomesticated: The Theme Behind His Novel
37:27 – Why Compelling Characters Must Be Complex and Real
39:49 – From Construction Work to Dialogue Mastery
41:42 – Advice for Writers with Full-Time Jobs
43:18 – Falling in Love with the Process, Not the Glamour
44:06 – Self-Publishing and Finding Your Audience
46:01 – Why Writing Must Be Its Own Reward
47:52 – What’s Next: Book 10 in the Series
48:29 – A Glimpse Into the Series and Its Origins
52:22 – Complex Moral Dilemmas and The Gray Areas of Life
54:47 – Final Thoughts on Judgment and Compassion
55:55 – Where to Find Gary’s Work and Say Goodbye
As always, I hope you enjoy the episode!
Rain
Find Gary's book at: https://amzn.to/4nCSTvt
Or visit his website HERE!
For more storytelling tips and tricks,
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