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Started @gladwell 's writing masterclass - it's *really* good and I'm only like 30 minutes in. Here are some notes I made.
Writing is like a puzzle. You're taking pieces and arranging them to make a picture for the reader. It's satisfying in the same way. The only difference is that you don't have the finished picture for reference.
If the pieces of your writing don't fit, you can make them fit. You can write your way out of a problem.
The rule of the analogy is that the 2 things you're analogising are not identical. Analogies are supposed to be imperfect."Apples are actually a lot like oranges" is interesting.
Make promises you don't keep. Filmmakers say 'you should never set an expectation that you don't fulfill'. But it's fine for narratives to be imperfect. Being complete, or being truthful to your inventions, isn't the same as being interesting.
Being interesting is the goal. Even if it's imperfect.
The peculiar power of the imperfect puzzle - sometimes what makes stories stand out is the fact that the puzzle is incomplete. The responsibility for finishing it is put on the reader.
Write in numbered sections. This makes writing easier, because you can solve the problem of transitions by just moving to a new number. Numbers signal to the reader "this thought has finished. We're moving on. Trust me." Structure is your friend.
