When Words Collide 2026

Cinematic storytelling in fiction is often seen in a negative light. It can reduce character agency and emotion, pulling away from the introspective side, instead relying on tense action and big explosions. Books and movies are very different media. What works in one doesn’t necessarily translate to the other. But is there a way to adapt the techniques of the visual medium and utilize it for the written word? Has the overwhelming rise in movies and television altered the way people read and what they expect?


This panel will look at the techniques of cinematic storytelling, discussing whether or not they can effectively be used in speculative fiction.