Patterson, the number one selling fiction novelist of all time, gives this advice to budding fiction writers:
Don’t think about the sentences, think about the story.
That’s been his approach to writing dozens of bestselling novels for over thirty years. Rather than showing off with snazzy sentences, he focuses on the core of the scene. And it’s that story which grabs the reader’s attention quickly, makes them hold on for dear life, and makes his characters stay with the reader beyond the last page.
I especially love that last part:
Beyond the last page.
It suggests stickiness. Ideas that people can’t shake from their brains, no matter how hard they try. Like the tear jerking bridge in a love song that you want to rewind and listen to over and over again.
That’s the challenge of all mass communication. Creating big stories that are important enough to believe, remember, spread and repeat.
Not laboring over the scholastic perfection of every word and sentence and syntax, but making sure that the spine of the story is in good shape, and trusting that the rest will take care of itself.
Because the audience’s eyes betray them. Snazzy sentences and flashy techniques can make any message sound good.
But as any good musician will tell you, the last thing you want is your audience to stop listening and start watching.
Don’t think about the sentences, think about the story.
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What are the myths you want to tell people when you talk about what you do?
LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For the list called, “99 Ways to Think Like an Entrepreneur, Even If You Aren’t One,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!
* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author. Speaker. Strategist. Inventor. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter.
Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.
Now booking for 2017-2018.
Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of
The Nametag Guy in action here!
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