UPDATE (05-22-12): The book is really good and well worth the read, if you’re into sci-fi.
I write, direct, and edit my own movies/commercials/shorts/music videos/etc. If I like the project, or if the pay is right, I’ll do it for others as well. But, do it well means I have to watch A LOT of movies, to study how the masters do it and also to know what kinds of things people are into now.
It also means I read a ton of screenplays and books, not to mention news articles, blog posts, and Twitter. Story is vital; if a movie doesn’t have a coherent story, very few people are going to like it. And, whatever lofty goals I might have as a visual artist, the art must also appeal to the audience. As such, I’m always on the lookout for a good story to study. My preferred method of consumption is books (ebooks via the Kindle).
So, when my Twitter friend Ross Pruden mentioned he was reading “The Mote in God’s Eye”, I added it to my reading list. It’s about six months later and I’ve bought it and am now reading it.