tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post5524258312955338504..comments2024-03-28T05:34:42.670-05:00Comments on MAKE MINE MYSTERY: By the numbers by Mark TroyMorgan Mandelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-45677674451411607552009-02-11T17:30:00.000-06:002009-02-11T17:30:00.000-06:00Never page count. I just read for the pleasure......Never page count. I just read for the pleasure...or not, depending on the book. Then I am NOT a numbers person at all.Dana Fredstihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12802936840624512415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-66926985014664317602009-02-11T05:11:00.000-06:002009-02-11T05:11:00.000-06:00I've never counted pages before to pinpoint plot p...I've never counted pages before to pinpoint plot points, Mark, but I'm going to try it now. Thanks for the education, Professor.Earl Staggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13349667172813175960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-60079815264916478732009-02-05T21:09:00.000-06:002009-02-05T21:09:00.000-06:00I must admit Mark that I never have counted before...I must admit Mark that I never have counted before... but I will now. Now, I am dying to know from every book just where the points fall.<BR/>Thanks !!Kim Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13933746166088034102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-39289403230687238982009-02-04T17:20:00.000-06:002009-02-04T17:20:00.000-06:00Going with the flow turns out good stories, Morgan...Going with the flow turns out good stories, Morgan.Mark Troyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10746027017657987261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-71379442988041101682009-02-04T17:18:00.000-06:002009-02-04T17:18:00.000-06:00Hi Jean,Those ancients knew how to tell a good sto...Hi Jean,<BR/><BR/>Those ancients knew how to tell a good story. I think Sophocles only codified what storytellers already knew about plot. Too bad we can't find anything in the fossil record to tell us when stories acquired three acts.Mark Troyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10746027017657987261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-79100000020466069532009-02-04T17:15:00.000-06:002009-02-04T17:15:00.000-06:00Hi Chester, Thanks for forwarding the article to A...Hi Chester, <BR/>Thanks for forwarding the article to April Hamilton. She's putting it on her site with a link back to MMM, of course. <BR/>Re your comments, I think some people are natural storytellers and can instinctively tell a good story. Me, I'm not natural or instinctive about much of anything.Mark Troyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10746027017657987261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-81228177064029714322009-02-04T16:07:00.000-06:002009-02-04T16:07:00.000-06:00I can't be that scientific about writing. I just g...I can't be that scientific about writing. I just go with the flow and hope it gets me where I want to go. <BR/><BR/>Maybe because I hate working with numbers.<BR/><BR/>Morgan Mandel<BR/>http://morganmandel.blogspot.comMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-57855309476557295382009-02-04T12:39:00.000-06:002009-02-04T12:39:00.000-06:00Very interesting, Mark. I only count pages and wor...Very interesting, Mark. I only count pages and words as I'm writing. But the three-act play, established by Sophocles in the fifth century B.C., is still the writing rule to live by.Jean Henry Meadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08146960738692672013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-27242202280746058322009-02-04T09:25:00.000-06:002009-02-04T09:25:00.000-06:00Interesting commentary, Mark. I'm not a page count...Interesting commentary, Mark. I'm not a page counter. I don't consciously follow the three-act arc when reading or writing. If a story moves along at a nice pace when I'm reading, I keep reading to see what happens. When writing, I just tell the story as it pops out of my head. I checked my new book, The Surest Poison, and found it pretty well follows the plot points you mention. I think this is somewhat subjective, though, and others may see the plot points differently. Thanks for the provocative piece.Chester Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07155257451021065218noreply@blogger.com