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A review by richardrbecker
Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel by Lisa Cron
3.0
Story Genius by Lisa Cron is one of those books you're glad to have read, even if you weren't glad to be reading it. It's long, tedious, and offers micromanagement ideas to authors who may need it.
That's all right. There is one absolute gem of an idea that makes it worthwhile. Cron talks about the importance of the third rail in storytelling — internal character growth in the face of whatever compelling plot they must suffer. She is right, so much so that it made one of my recent book reviews pinpoint the problem. The protagonist never went through a transformation. They just sailed along as things happened to them.
The third rail, as she calls it, is especially critical because the protagonist's internal struggle helps readers connect and live vicariously through whatever point of view the author has subscribed to use. That's the brain science part. And It does wonders to dispel the myth of external story structures like the hero's journey as good enough. They are not.
This is valuable. What was less useful for me was the rest of it. Cron prescribes back story scenes, scene cards, explanation exercises, and all sorts of stuff that can help some writers and bog down others. As a writer decidedly in the other camp, I just don't need to write down what I already know outside of jotting down notes post scene to ensure I keep account of details easily forgotten (like how many dogs someone owned as a child). Writing down what happens beyond an outline sentence, the consequences, what matters (to the internal character struggle), and realizations feels like extra work. But then again, I know plenty of writers who would benefit.
Suffice to say that, for me, the best of it is in Part I or the first 32 pages of the book. The rest of it is okay, but it's stuff most writers should have picked up by the time they sit down to write. Of course, many don't. So for those who haven't read books, taken classes, or would like to learn a new method to reign in what feels like madness, this book may ring truer for you. Again, still glad I got it. And equally delighted to have gotten through it.
That's all right. There is one absolute gem of an idea that makes it worthwhile. Cron talks about the importance of the third rail in storytelling — internal character growth in the face of whatever compelling plot they must suffer. She is right, so much so that it made one of my recent book reviews pinpoint the problem. The protagonist never went through a transformation. They just sailed along as things happened to them.
The third rail, as she calls it, is especially critical because the protagonist's internal struggle helps readers connect and live vicariously through whatever point of view the author has subscribed to use. That's the brain science part. And It does wonders to dispel the myth of external story structures like the hero's journey as good enough. They are not.
This is valuable. What was less useful for me was the rest of it. Cron prescribes back story scenes, scene cards, explanation exercises, and all sorts of stuff that can help some writers and bog down others. As a writer decidedly in the other camp, I just don't need to write down what I already know outside of jotting down notes post scene to ensure I keep account of details easily forgotten (like how many dogs someone owned as a child). Writing down what happens beyond an outline sentence, the consequences, what matters (to the internal character struggle), and realizations feels like extra work. But then again, I know plenty of writers who would benefit.
Suffice to say that, for me, the best of it is in Part I or the first 32 pages of the book. The rest of it is okay, but it's stuff most writers should have picked up by the time they sit down to write. Of course, many don't. So for those who haven't read books, taken classes, or would like to learn a new method to reign in what feels like madness, this book may ring truer for you. Again, still glad I got it. And equally delighted to have gotten through it.