“Telling a story involves thinking of some interesting events, putting them in the best order to bring out the connections between them, and telling about them as clearly as we can; and if we get the last part right, we won’t be able to disguise any failure with the first—which is actually the most difficult, and the most important.” (Philip Pullman, Daemon Voices)
Writing Exercise: Crafting Narrative Structure with Clarity and Impact
Techniques for Development:
1. Causality and Connection – Events must be arranged to highlight their relationships. Weak narratives feel episodic, with events happening independently. Strong narratives create a chain reaction where each moment builds naturally from the last.
2. Structural Momentum – The order of events determines engagement. A well-structured story escalates tension and deepens character stakes at the right moments. Weak structures meander or peak too soon.
3. Clarity in Execution – Precise, intentional storytelling reveals weaknesses in structure. If a story’s meaning is muddled or its impact diluted, it often signals structural failure.
500-Word Prompt:
Write a scene where a character discovers an unexpected letter that drastically alters their understanding of an event from their past. The revelation should create an immediate shift in their perspective, forcing them to act or react in a meaningful way.
Choose the order of events carefully:
• Consider opening with the discovery or leading up to it through a different unfolding of the past.
• Ensure that each moment naturally drives the next.
• Maintain clarity—ambiguity should serve the story, not obscure it.
Evaluation Criteria:
• Causality: Does each event logically connect to the next? Does the discovery of the letter shift the character’s perception in a meaningful way?
• Structural Effectiveness: Is the order of events deliberate and impactful? Does the pacing sustain tension?
• Clarity of Narrative: Are motivations, shifts, and consequences evident without over-explaining? Does the writing reveal story weaknesses rather than conceal them?
Strong vs. Weak Execution:
• Strong Response: A woman cleaning out her deceased father’s desk finds a hidden letter revealing he had a secret family. The letter is presented first, immediately reshaping the reader’s understanding of the father-daughter dynamic. The woman’s reaction drives the next beats—her initial disbelief, her search for confirmation, and the climactic confrontation with an unknown half-sibling. Each event naturally follows from the previous, creating urgency and coherence.
• Weak Response: A man receives a letter, reads it, and passively reflects on what it means. The story then shifts into a long, expository flashback explaining his childhood without tying it to the present moment. There’s no narrative propulsion, and the events feel disconnected rather than forming a compelling chain.
Follow-Up Questions for Workshop and Revision:
• If you rearrange the order of events, does the impact change?
• Are there any moments where a reader might feel lost or unsure why an event matters?
• Does the story attempt to obscure weak structure with overly elaborate prose?
Recommended Reading:
• “Emergency” by Denis Johnson – A masterclass in structuring events for maximum impact and meaning. Johnson arranges moments so they build on one another, transforming the protagonist’s perspective by the end.
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