Understanding the Pyramid of Abstraction (The Final Level)

LEVEL FOUR If you wind up only reading The Basics, I’ve failed in my mission. Part of the problem with only knowing the information in the previous posts is it can be tricky to understand exactly where to apply the Pyramid of Abstraction to achieve the greatest effect. Have you done too much? Too little?Continue reading “Understanding the Pyramid of Abstraction (The Final Level)”

Understanding the Pyramid of Abstraction (Advanced Course)

Welcome back! Previously, we discussed perhaps the most invaluable tool I like to have close-at-hand whenever I’m writing: The Pyramid of Abstraction. But we only covered the basics. This is where things get interesting. The fourth level is by far my favorite use of this tool, where it goes from “Okay, this is pretty handy,”Continue reading “Understanding the Pyramid of Abstraction (Advanced Course)”

Understanding the Pyramid of Abstraction (The Basics)

One of the best writing tricks I’ve ever learned came from one of Brandon Sanderson’s lectures, a lesson on the Pyramid of Abstraction. Utilizing the pyramid as a tool while you’re writing and editing will instantly level you up as a writer. But it’s got a lot of nuance many writers tend to overlook. LEVELContinue reading “Understanding the Pyramid of Abstraction (The Basics)”

The Deeper Literary Symbolism Behind Top Hats and Bowler Hats

In writing, they say an apple is never just an apple. Even if a writer throws an apple into a story and insists there was no meaning behind it, the apple itself still carries a history of meaning that exists in the collective unconsciousness, whether the author likes it or not. So writers often tapContinue reading “The Deeper Literary Symbolism Behind Top Hats and Bowler Hats”