The Book Format I Wish Had Existed — So I Made It Myself

When I started writing, I didn’t set out to create a new format. I just knew that the kind of book I wanted to read — and make — didn’t seem to exist.

The first book I published was about the experience of living through Storm Babet and the flooding that followed. It wasn’t just something to tell — it was something to show. The images, the maps, the soaked-through details… they weren’t extra, they were essential. They carried emotion. Memory. Proof. A wall of words couldn’t do that justice. And so the idea began to take shape: what if the visuals weren’t a footnote, but a full part of the story?

That’s where the luminovel came from.

A luminovel is a storytelling format that blends narrative and photography into a unified, immersive experience. The word comes from the Latin lumen (light) and novel (story). It’s not just a book — it’s a visual journey. You don’t just read it. You see, feel, and inhabit it

Here’s why I chose to make luminovels:

1. Reading Shouldn’t Feel Like a Chore

Let’s be honest — it can be hard to sit down and push through 300 pages of dense text. Even the best stories can feel like a slog when they’re laid out in one long, uninterrupted wall. I wanted to create something that moved. Something that kept the reader turning pages, not out of obligation, but because they were genuinely caught up in the flow. With photography, illustration, and thoughtful design, a luminovel feels lighter — not in content, but in momentum. It invites you in.

2. I’m a Photographer — Images Are How I Speak

For me, photography isn’t an afterthought. It’s central. In traditional books, if images are included at all, they’re often small, squeezed in, and secondary. In a luminovel, images are given the space they deserve. Full pages. Key moments. They carry weight, just like the words. They let readers see what I saw — and feel what I felt.

3. A Format That Respects Modern Attention

We live in a world full of noise. Short attention spans aren’t a flaw — they’re a fact of the environment we’re in. Luminovels don’t fight that. They flow with it. They break up text with visuals in a way that feels natural and welcome. They keep the energy alive, and the story moving.

4. Design and Illustration Add Character — and Clarity

Sometimes a stylised drawing brings a feeling into sharper focus — not better than words, but different. Just as a photo can frame a moment, an illustration can frame a tone. In my books, design and illustration are tools I use to communicate — not just decorate. From water-level graphics in Through Water and Ruin to drawn moments that support the mood or rhythm of a chapter, these elements help carry tone, emotion, and information in equal measure.

5. It’s the Experience That Matters

Photos, illustrations, and writing — none of these are new in books. But what makes a luminovel different is how they’re used together. It’s not about following the old rules of book design. It’s about asking: what creates the best experience for the reader? That’s what luminovels aim to do. To reimagine the format — not for novelty’s sake, but for the sake of telling stories in a way that feels alive.

I don’t know if this is a genre, or just something I made because it felt right. But I do know that, for me, the luminovel is the most honest and exciting way to tell the stories I want to tell — whether it’s surviving a flood, or navigating the anxieties that come with photographing people up close.

Thanks for reading.