For the next several weeks, I will be posting about the craft of writing based on Dwight Swain’s, Techniques of the Selling Writer. Every Monday and Wednesday, I will share a bit of what I’ve learned from Swain’s book, which, to be quite honest, is a goldmine of information. Yes, it’s couched in a lot of fancy rhetoric and wording, but the gold nuggets are there. And they are beautiful. Armed with my trusty highlighter, I always resurface from this book feeling as if somebody just handed me a new and important key to writing fiction.
So come join me on Mondays and Wednesdays so I can share my keys with you.
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In the meantime, Dwight says only four things are needed to write a solid story:
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1. How to group words into motivation-reaction units (MRUs)
2. How to group MRUs into scenes and sequels
3. How to group scenes and sequels into story patterns
4. How to create characters that give a story life
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Sound simple enough? Of course not. But we’ll learn how to do it together!
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Question to Ponder: What helpful keys have you uncovered recently, and what doors did they open?