In Defense of Story Architecture

I have no idea what the etiquette is on posting a third party review of one’s own book.  On one hand it seems, well, fine… though some would perceive it as a bit self-serving. 

 

But that’s what I’m doing.  It’s pasted in below, straight from Amazon.com.

I’m not doing this to try to sell you my book.  I’m thinking that most of you who come here already have it, or know about it, so that’s not the point. 

I’m also not doing it as an in-your-face response to my critics, some of whom actually like the content but don’t care so much for (or just don’t get) my approach.  Fair enough, in some cases.  A few have been downright rude and personal , and to them I say… read this review, you may have missed something.    

I’m posting it because this guy gets it. 

He represents a common first impression and then a sweet little Epiphany when it comes to being introduced to the principles of story architecture.  He speaks directly to those who either don’t get it or don’t like it because it flies in the face of the belief that there is something mystical about it all, that it is something you can plan for and execute.

So here it is.  And if it makes you want to buy the book, hey,that’s good, too.  Not going to apologize for the link here.  Maybe it’ll help take you to where you want to be with your writing dream.  That’s the point, afterall.

*****

Now I finally get it…
September 2, 2012


By 
Ray Peden “riverrat” (Frankfort, KY) – See all my reviews

(REAL NAME)   

 

Amazon Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: Story Engineering (Paperback)

Story Engineering is Larry Brooks’ subtly brilliant conribution to the legions of books on the craft of writing. But it distinguishes itself: like a life-experienced parent imparting wisdom to a know-it-all child, it illuminated how little I really knew. Most of the concepts in his 6 Core Competencies are likely well-known in the time-tested literary world of novels and screenplays, and I intuitively already had some grasp of them. It’s the nuances of what I DIDN’T know that made this clearly the most valuable addition to my shelf, and which I believe will be the tripwire that allows me to go from “promising” to “published” author.

It’s much more than another book on craft. It’s an invaluable file cabinet of information, and once I began to realize this, I pounced on it like an eager med student with his first anatomy textbook, underlining key passages, putting two and two together. And the light began to grow brighter. I recognized that the professor was indeed smarter than the student. Once I finished, I eagerly went back and re-read the underlines, and like Grasshopper, I was enlightened.

But Story Engineering reads nothing like a textbook. Brooks has a direct, sly sense of humor that he spreads freely throughout the pages, and the metaphors and analogous stories abound, which only makes the information that much easier to absorb. The negative reviewers apparently didn’t have that same sense of humor; some felt like they were being talked down to. On the other hand I felt like Brooks was my personal mentor, Master Po if you will, with a sharp cutting edge, and more importantly, the stuff I sorely lacked. Maybe those detractors needed the info just as much as I did but couldn’t accept it.

One recurring criticism suggested that Brooks talked down to the “pantsers”, those that did not outline. Not true, and he said as much on pg 225. “To write a successful story…doesn’t mean you need an outline, it means you need a foundational core competency in story architecture.”

If you read this piece of gold, you, like I, will be equipped to use whatever talent we posess, and have a legitimate shot at getting published. Those that ignore it…do so at their own peril. They can take solace while they write negative reviews of my upcoming novel as they’re trying to figure out why incompetent agents and editors just don’t understand the true genius of their manuscript that was just tossed in the slush pile.

*****

Check out my new and ridiculously affordable story review and coaching service HERE.

 
 

In Defense of Story Architecture is a post from: Larry Brooks at storyfix.com