Matt Bird graduated with an MFA from an Ivy League university, but soon found that he knew a lot less about a writing career than he thought. After graduation, instead of just pleasing his teachers, he had to learn to work in the storytelling industry – sink or swim. To move forward, he has spent his life rigorously looking at successful stories as they actually are and what makes them work. His wisdom eventually brought him back to his alma mater as a guest lecturer, and he distills his story-writing advice in this book.
His main focus is fiction, which is not my main area, either as a professional or as a hobbyist. Because I’m invested in good non-fiction writing, I wanted to figure out how good storytelling could amplify my messages. If it works in the imagination, it must also work somewhat in real accounts, too.
Overall, his writing style and insights enchanted me throughout. He centrally advised to get an audience emotionally invested in a very human hero. If you can do that, they will follow your plot wherever it meanders, but if they don’t care, they won’t finish your book. He also advised, even or especially in fantasy, to remain true to human nature and to the audience’s experience. Audiences won’t follow what they can’t believe.
His observation that audiences must identify with characters most is surely one that rings true outside of fiction, so I achieved my goal. I lack the competence to otherwise grade the strength of his approach. It’s a good read to peek into a world that I know little about and dream a little.
The Secrets of Story
By Matt Bird
Narrated by Eric Michael Summerer
Text copyright (c) 2016
Writer’s Digest Books
Audio copyright (c) 2016
HighBridge
ASIN B01LY3Y6DP
Length: 12:02
Genre: Fiction Writing
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