left-brain writing versus right-brain writing | Martha Alderson | plot whisperer | plot writing | the parts of a story | universal story form
Universal Story and Plot
I bow down to the writer’s spirit in each of us — the spirit of perseverance and for continuing against all odds and against all conventional reason.
A writer on her third major rewrite finds the Universal Story defines the linear plot and structure of her intuitive and otherwise random story. Now that she has the logical, sequential order of the scenes in place and objectively knows where the story is going, she can forget about the bigger picture and subjectively concentrate on writing each scene one word at a time.
This is not necessarily easy for a random, intuitive and subjective writer. Classically favoring “right-brain” thinking, for her to focus in on the parts does not come naturally. However, as long as she stays at the concrete level (a strength) of the scenes and words, she’ll be fine.
I especially love it when writers like her reach the Middle because the scenes there take place in an exotic world of her own making. Thus, she can craft those scenes in her truly authentic voice and style and can follow the energy. Here, time does not have to travel in a linear fashion, the exotic world can be anything she wants it to be, as random, intuitive and subjective as she desires.
