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Lesson 4. A Dynamic Storyworld │The Mechanics of Fiction Writing
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Lesson 4. A Dynamic Storyworld │The Mechanics of Fiction Writing

Getting Fiction Moving

In this section, the speaker introduces the importance of action verbs in fiction writing and how they contribute to moving the story forward.

Action Verbs vs Linking Verbs

  • Action verbs convey action and movement in a story, while linking verbs convey a state of being or feeling.
  • Action verbs create a temporal sequence and move the story forward, engaging the reader's cognitive simulation.
  • Linking verbs describe space, characters' states of being, or motivations. They can slow down the narrative pace but are useful for creating vivid settings.
  • Linking verbs act as a pause button in contrast to action verbs that serve as a play button for the cognitive simulation.

Importance of Action Verbs

  • Action verbs are essential for creating movement and progressing the story.
  • Linking verbs provide descriptions but do not contribute to advancing the plot.
  • Having a good balance between action and linking verbs is crucial for effective storytelling.

Writing with Action Verbs

  • To get fiction moving, focus on using action verbs to create a temporal sequence in the story world.
  • Use action verbs to engage readers' cognitive simulations and make the story flow smoothly.

The transcript provided valuable insights into using action and linking verbs effectively in fiction writing. The speaker emphasized that action verbs are key to moving the plot forward, while linking verbs help create descriptive settings and character states. It is important to strike a balance between the two types of verbs for engaging storytelling.

Playlists: The Mechanics of Fiction Writing
Video description

There's a simple grammatical distinction that acts as the "play" button in written fiction. We'll briefly cover that here so that you know exactly when and how you're hitting the play button and the pause button for your readers. If you're interested in supporting this channel so I can continue to make videos like this one and others, please like, subscribe, and share with other writers. You can also help support the channel directly by visiting: https://www.rowelit.com/support The companion book for this series containing lecture notes and exercises is tailored to sharpen the skills covered in each lesson and is available through my online bookstore: https://www.amazon.com/author/p.e.rowe Purchasing a copy for yourself or a fellow writer helps to support this channel and your own writing skills.