tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post2934807520984143367..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: One, Two Three, Notice Me: The Rule of Three (And How it Helps Our Writing)Janice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-32016083758703498112016-07-08T00:25:13.656-04:002016-07-08T00:25:13.656-04:00Story changed again. What to do with that sparrow ...Story changed again. What to do with that sparrow ..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-15692863968262592502016-05-29T03:49:22.902-04:002016-05-29T03:49:22.902-04:00Hum. Sort of. A sparrow shows up in an early chapt...Hum. Sort of. A sparrow shows up in an early chapter, then again later on and drops a silver leaf. I comes again as the story is ending. Now that this article has pointed this out ... yes it's three, but what to do with it? <br /><br />All I've got is some vague thing about it bring a transformed person trying to help. xP Thank you for this i'd almost forgotten about that bird. Now to go figure out what to do about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-59821060204420154152016-05-24T15:33:06.352-04:002016-05-24T15:33:06.352-04:00Oh no! If you mention it more than once (especiall...Oh no! If you mention it more than once (especially if it's three times) then yes, you have to follow through. Your readers will be expecting it. But if you just mention it once, maybe twice, you might be able to leave it be.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-52977626426934027952016-05-24T15:31:40.955-04:002016-05-24T15:31:40.955-04:00I agree. and it does flow off the fingers easily i...I agree. and it does flow off the fingers easily in threes. At least for me when I'm describing things. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-4771023590994498742016-05-24T15:31:01.179-04:002016-05-24T15:31:01.179-04:00Cool, I didn't know that, but it makes sense.Cool, I didn't know that, but it makes sense. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-73993585090644734422016-05-24T15:30:37.077-04:002016-05-24T15:30:37.077-04:00Perfect example.Perfect example.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-7444624594527178022016-05-18T23:30:24.624-04:002016-05-18T23:30:24.624-04:00This is great for a subplot I'm working on as ... This is great for a subplot I'm working on as part of a series.<br /> Each time they hug, my character notices the faintest of an alluring fragrance her new boyfriend wears. But every time she starts to ask him what it is, something happens & the opportunity is lost.<br /> I don't want this to happen so many times, the reader will scream "ask him already!" Just enough to raise curiosity, so 3 times seems about right. This funny little detail doesn't really affect the story in a major way. Only the ladies.<br /> But I painted myself in a corner. I have no clue what that amazing fragrance is or where it's from (I wish I did). Should I just leave that as an open-ended mystery & focus on the main story? Drop it? Why? Thanks ahead for your input.<br /> GaleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-49172798400656618032016-05-16T21:05:26.256-04:002016-05-16T21:05:26.256-04:00I think threes work particularly well in descripti...I think threes work particularly well in description - especially if, as you say, the third item is surprising or the one with the important memory or thought attached.Zara Westhttp://www.zarawestsuspense.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-72875861483606351922016-05-16T10:54:34.151-04:002016-05-16T10:54:34.151-04:00Rule of three is a technique in stand-up comedy as...Rule of three is a technique in stand-up comedy as well. One - wait for it - kaboom! Good rule to know!Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06008821140074405571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-67483348792251694182016-05-16T08:58:59.954-04:002016-05-16T08:58:59.954-04:00This reminds me of something we use to say when I ...This reminds me of something we use to say when I was a kid about hiking and never being the third in line. First person wakes the snake. Second makes him mad. Third gets bitten. Ah youth!H. R. Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06715450637785127208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-9440982900968729732012-12-19T05:48:14.419-05:002012-12-19T05:48:14.419-05:00Great overview, well explained!
I collected many ...Great overview, well explained! <br />I collected many examples of the pattern in our real world and designed a creative mind map with them. You are welcome to have a look at it on http://www.drawmeanidea.com/2012/02/rule-of-three-mind-map.html<br />Cheers,<br />PhilPhilippe PACKUhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08315326577847749179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-73018844578168070642011-05-01T07:47:54.529-04:002011-05-01T07:47:54.529-04:00Eileen: Most welcome!Eileen: Most welcome!Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-86342748763083580042011-04-29T21:05:45.872-04:002011-04-29T21:05:45.872-04:00This is good stuff. I've heard the rule of thr...This is good stuff. I've heard the rule of three long ago, but these examples really brings it to life. Thank You!Eileen Astels Watsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11098531184044931737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-90135823465789152542011-04-27T14:28:26.522-04:002011-04-27T14:28:26.522-04:00Allison: I've found so many things like that s...Allison: I've found so many things like that since I started the blog. It makes me pay more attention to what I do.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-40854696762987882812011-04-27T11:34:10.241-04:002011-04-27T11:34:10.241-04:00Great summary! I use the "rule of three"...Great summary! I use the "rule of three" all the time when writing. It's a habit, I never really noticed it until I looked for it.Allison Brennanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05598446973999304028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-58723452905414591522011-04-26T16:04:15.258-04:002011-04-26T16:04:15.258-04:00SF Roney: Oh good! I hope it works well for you.SF Roney: Oh good! I hope it works well for you.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-87042365717993956522011-04-25T23:35:57.912-04:002011-04-25T23:35:57.912-04:00I'm so glad I read this as this is perfectly t...I'm so glad I read this as this is perfectly timed for my own revisions of my writing. I'm going back to set some scenes up and will definitely keep this fantastic advice in mind.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15367023448539921016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-90263058113237989992011-04-25T17:43:18.880-04:002011-04-25T17:43:18.880-04:00Carradee: Good luck!
Taffy: Three is useful in so...Carradee: Good luck!<br /><br />Taffy: Three is useful in so many ways. You'll find it helps a lot.<br /><br />Solvang: I do love the subtleties in writing. More fun than the blatant stuff ;)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-61072257135625250882011-04-25T16:00:58.884-04:002011-04-25T16:00:58.884-04:00I love this. Great suggestions for working the hin...I love this. Great suggestions for working the hints in without being blatant.Sherrie Petersenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11670339498152684137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-42212602908496900912011-04-25T13:57:43.908-04:002011-04-25T13:57:43.908-04:00THANKS! I hadn't thought about the threes. I&#...THANKS! I hadn't thought about the threes. I'll look for it more in my writing.Taffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11796711977284429278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-17391110495895203562011-04-25T08:52:15.910-04:002011-04-25T08:52:15.910-04:00Ooo, nice thought. I'm writing a novelette ri...Ooo, nice thought. I'm writing a novelette right now that has 2 threads that need to be foreshadowed and tied together, so I'll have to keep this in mind.Carradeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05431561739001270522noreply@blogger.com