How To Write A Novel: "Kadraj Method" (The Framing Method)

Today, I'm excited to introduce a writing tip-or rather, a method-that I've developed myself. While principles like "Show, Don't Tell" exist in literature, there isn't a specific method that frames it through this cinematic terminology: The Kadraj Method

(Cause I'm Turkish.)

To help you visualize it, I'll be sharing examples from my own book characters and the scenes I've written.

What İs The"Kadraj Method"?

İf you want your writing to feel like it's coming through a film camera's lens, this metod is for you. Sometimes, we keep the camera too far away -

trying to explain everything but failing to make the reader truly feel anything. Other times, the frame just doesn't capture the essential details, leaving the narrative incomplete.

The Kadraj Method is the art of maximizing emotion by narrowing our focus to the right places, with the perfect balance.

1. Wide Angle (Setting And Atmosphere)

When we enter a story, the camera is at a wide angle. This is the perfect shot for the describing an environment or establishing the atmosphere. For example, at the beggining of a chapter, we might see the silence of a room or the sterile and organized living room of Adrian (my book character). This provides the reader with a sense of security- or a manipulated fondation. If such manipulation is necessary for future chapters, DEFINITELY DO IT.

Excerpt 1 from my book:

"I turned on the kitchen lights and prepared a cup of coffee for myself. The soft hiss of the boiling water, followed by the rising steam and the sharp, dark aroma of the coffee, began to fill the kitchen.

I loosened my tie end undid the top button of my shirt. I sank into the soft fabric of the armchair. As ı reached for the remote, my exhaustion slowly began to unravel and disappear.

A picture-perfect scene, as if painted by an artist: a good job, a peacful home, a loving family."

Excerpt 2 from my book:

"“You're going to be okay, Maria. I promise.”

I was running alongside the gruney with the doctors. I was careful not to let my feet slip on the polished surfcase of the hospital floor. The screeching of the wheels blurred into the muffled voices of the doctors; our steps were racing against death. The harsh, white light burned my eyes, and Maria's face blurred behind my tears."

As you can see, it's not a bird's-eye view like a panorama (which I'll explain later). We're looking from distance, yet we're still right inside the scene. It's as if the reader can see everything in 360 degrees. That sounds a bit strange when I put it like that, but you get what I mean!

2. Medium Shot (Action)

The character makes a move. The focal point here is the interaction between the character and an object. It is narrower than a wide angle, allowing for more detailed writing. The focus is confined to a more specific area.

Excerpt 3 from my book:

"My knuckles turned stark white. I gripped the fabric of the armchair with a death grip. I pressed my hands against my ears, as if trying to drown out Valeria's voice echoing inside my brain."

Excerpt 4 from my book:

"My fingers were locked onto the edge of the gurney. I felt all the blood drain from my face. Maria's fingers subconsciously tried to grasp mine on the side of the gurney. But before she could reach them, her hand fell weakly by my side. My fingertips desperately searched for her touch; but...it didin't happen."

The frame is confined, yet it’s different from just having a narrow field of vision.

3. Close-up / Macro / Narrow Angle (Emotion and Symbolism)

This is where the heart of the story beats. We narrow the frame so much that we only see the most vital detail: the tightening of the lungs, the clenching of the hands... This is the perfect angle to convey a psychological state. You imprison the reader within an event, an object, or a single thought. The camera is so close that our own chests tighten along with the character’s. We become one with that object or that character. We become them.

Excerpt 5 from my book:

"My lungs tighten, my hands clench. The blood, seeped deep under my fingernails, was a sticky film on my palms. It wasn't just Maria’s; it felt as if it were flowing from my own sins, from the things I had hidden. Each drop seemed to pierce through my chest, dripping right from my heart."

Excerpt 6 from my book:

" The blood was still warm; it seeped through my fingers like a slick, hot current. No matter how hard I pressed, it wouldn't stop – just like the regret inside me.

I forced my eyes upward and looked at her. Under that flickering light, Maria’s face looked like a scrap of off-white paper. Pale and lifeless.

She was sleeping.

She had to be sleeping.

This was a nightmare. In a moment, she would open her eyes, give me that familiar warm smile; her lips would curl, the corners of her eyes would crinkle. But when her eyelids slowly parted, there was no spark of life beneath them. Just a hollow, frozen stare.

In that moment, the last fragment of hope inside me was crushed and gone."

4. Over-the-Shoulder Shot (POV)

You place the reader right on the character's shoulder. I believe this is ideal for scenes filled with adrenaline and action. When Adrian is driving, we’re watching over his shoulder from the back seat. Whatever the character feels, the frame blurs or sharpens with that same emotion.

Excerpt 7 from my book:

"I rolled up the window and blasted the car’s air conditioning. Even though I turned it to the coldest setting, it wasn't doing a thing. I let out a frustrated, deep breath.

“Oh, for f*'s sake!”

The wipers were swinging back and forth rapidly, as if trying to scrape away the past that clung to me; yet, with every sweep, they formed a streak right where they met, driving me even more insane. The humid air had made my shirt stick to my back; that wet fabric crawling against my skin with every move was infuriating me further."

Excerpt 8 from my book:

"Under the weight of these thoughts, my grip on the steering wheel loosened for a split second. Right then, I felt the rear tires lose their traction on the wet pavement. My heart leaped into my throat as the car moved uncontrollably beneath me. As my hand shifted gears, my eyes never left the road for even a moment.

“You idiot, Adrian!”

I was so focused on regaining control that… suddenly, a deafening horn pierced through the night. The high beams of the oncoming vehicle mercilessly stabbed my pupils, which had grown accustomed to the dark. As if the rain wasn't enough, my vision was now buried in a white void while my reflexes acted independently of me. Seeing nothing, I jerked the wheel to the left. The tires shrieked, and the smell of burning rubber filled the air.

In a desperate attempt to escape this chaos, I slammed on the brakes with all my might. But in that moment of mental paralysis, I found myself pulling the handbrake too.

Accompanied by the screaming metal of the car on the wet ground, everything spun out of control. The world tilted off its axis. As the terrifying screech of wet asphalt and metal gnawing at each other echoed through the folds of my brain, the car began to spin uncontrollably around itself."

5. Rack Focus (Focus Shift)

First, you bring a foreground detail into sharp focus (like Maria’s body), then you shift the clarity to a threat emerging from the background (like the wailing police sirens). This angle is tailor-made for dissociative scenes. Of course, you don’t have to reach that extreme to use it; it’s enough for a character to be intensely fixated on a single thing.

Excerpt 9 from my book:

"My happiness was short-lived as my eyes burned from the salt of unshed tears. Her pulse was growing weaker. While my own heart beat like a drum in my ears, her body was becoming silent, leaving me all alone. And here I was, sitting and fooling myself… just letting that faint vein, that false hope, play games with me.

Right then, sirens began to wail in the distance. At first, they were weak, almost like a dream; but as time passed, they grew stronger, starting to vibrate the very walls of the basement. The blue and red lights coming through the dirty glass of the small window above were blinding. They mingled with the pale white of the flickering fluorescent light, casting strange, bloody shadows on the walls.

“Look, they’re here… they found us… Maria… Ma—”

The hope in my voice was like a warm but heatless blanket wrapped around the pain in my heart. I wiped my eyes with my bloody hand, turned my head from the window, and looked at Maria with an eager smile. The smile on my face slowly faded. Because I realized; it was too late now.

I caught a jagged breath."

6. Panoramic / Establishing Shot

We watch the scene from a bird's-eye view, at the highest point. Here, the reader understands the general atmosphere of the setting. When describing the dirty, leaden sky of the city, you must take the camera to the very top. The reader should understand where they are and how expansive that suffocating atmosphere is—allowing them to make small inferences about what might happen next.

Excerpt 10 from my book:

" The sky had turned a dirty shade of lead; the clouds hung low as if wanting to collapse onto the city.

Oh, how wonderful!

The rain had made the air heavier rather than refreshing it. Even the wind coming through the window I’d opened to ease my suffocation was scorching. Despite it being evening, it carried a warm, sticky humidity. It was as if liquefied steam, not water, was falling from the sky.

The wet asphalt was like a polished mirror; neon lights left trembling reflections in the puddles, rippling with every falling drop, while streetlights flickered intermittently. Shadows fell upon the walls like dancing silhouettes."

Why Should You Use the "Kadraj Method"?

It directs the reader to what truly matters. You tell the reader exactly where to look. It prevents them from drowning in excess and shows you where and how to use descriptions. It is vital for building tension; the contrast between a medium shot and a narrow angle creates incredible suspense. As the focus narrows, the sense of claustrophobia and tension rises. It saves you from unnecessary details. You only deal with the 'meaningful' objects that enter the frame. This enhances the cinematic quality, making your story feel less like a book and more like a film unfolding before the eyes.

Love y'all! Muah!