Watch a good movie sometime without reference to what's happening but only with attention to how it was photographed; you'll see the change of focus-zoom in, pan out, close-up on face, fade to black, open from above-easily. You want to do that in what you write; it's one of the things that keep people's eyes on the page, though they're almost never conscious of it.
In her book "I Give You My Body . . .": How I Write Sex Scenes, Diana Gabaldon emphasizes the importance of visual techniques in storytelling. She suggests that by watching a movie with a focus on cinematography rather than the plot, one can appreciate various visual elements, such as changes in focus, zooming effects, and camera angles. These techniques are integral to engaging an audience, even if they are not...
