Well, as I'm trying to finish my book about our first two years in Quebec, I'm mainly concerned about getting it done, not worrying about a narrative arc, that's for sure. It might be useful, but I'm just interested in getting my story out there in a form that I can see. And maybe that I can share with others.
Bless you for this post! Do you remember when I took your course a while back, and was such a rebel about that arc structure? What initially came from my rebellion was a poem, which was published in Salvation South. Now, other works are in progress that may or may not follow this school of thought....
I like how you describe the arc of a story as a wavy line, rather than linear. If we imagine a pathway we are following/exploring, the way forward is engaging when it curves and disappears, before reappearing as we walk it, over and over, than a way that is dead straight and predictable.
Epiphany - I learned the five-part structure of stories somewhere along the way, but had forgotten it. I later encountered the three-part structure and I believe the rising and falling action is implicit in that structure rather than absent. Two different ways of saying the same thing. For some reason, I never learned that narrative arc was a name for this structure and the words always puzzled me. I have heard of other structures such as "Save the Cat" and "The Hero's Journey," but paid little attention since I always believed they applied to fiction and I was writing nonfiction. Learning that they apply to nonfiction is a revelation.
As someone not formally trained, and who flies (writes?!) by the seat of their pants, I find all of this so interesting. I know when you shared with us the Kittredge essay format, I can see how the structure has use, even in the instances where it becomes superfluous as the writing itself evolves.
Within the context of my own work (which involves a lot of nature contemplating!) the idea of a climax is more like "Hark! The butterfly landed on my arm" rather than "They eventually found Martin's killer and the scene wasn't pretty" 😆 (which is where my mind takes me when I think of narrative climax, complete with dramatic music.)
I'm going to think of this in relationship to tension- the building of and the dissipation of- and see how I can play with it. Thank you as always Janisse! xx
Well, as I'm trying to finish my book about our first two years in Quebec, I'm mainly concerned about getting it done, not worrying about a narrative arc, that's for sure. It might be useful, but I'm just interested in getting my story out there in a form that I can see. And maybe that I can share with others.
I’ve been wanting to read Meander, Spiral, Explode. Don’t get me started on the beat sheets some writers go by. I think that comes from the movies.
Bless you for this post! Do you remember when I took your course a while back, and was such a rebel about that arc structure? What initially came from my rebellion was a poem, which was published in Salvation South. Now, other works are in progress that may or may not follow this school of thought....
I like how you describe the arc of a story as a wavy line, rather than linear. If we imagine a pathway we are following/exploring, the way forward is engaging when it curves and disappears, before reappearing as we walk it, over and over, than a way that is dead straight and predictable.
Epiphany - I learned the five-part structure of stories somewhere along the way, but had forgotten it. I later encountered the three-part structure and I believe the rising and falling action is implicit in that structure rather than absent. Two different ways of saying the same thing. For some reason, I never learned that narrative arc was a name for this structure and the words always puzzled me. I have heard of other structures such as "Save the Cat" and "The Hero's Journey," but paid little attention since I always believed they applied to fiction and I was writing nonfiction. Learning that they apply to nonfiction is a revelation.
I totally agree. Thanks for the two references too.
As someone not formally trained, and who flies (writes?!) by the seat of their pants, I find all of this so interesting. I know when you shared with us the Kittredge essay format, I can see how the structure has use, even in the instances where it becomes superfluous as the writing itself evolves.
Within the context of my own work (which involves a lot of nature contemplating!) the idea of a climax is more like "Hark! The butterfly landed on my arm" rather than "They eventually found Martin's killer and the scene wasn't pretty" 😆 (which is where my mind takes me when I think of narrative climax, complete with dramatic music.)
I'm going to think of this in relationship to tension- the building of and the dissipation of- and see how I can play with it. Thank you as always Janisse! xx