I’m officially closing the book The Irresistible Novel after this post. It’s been a great journey over the past twenty-seven weeks. This study has no doubt helped to shape me as a writer and helped me to evaluate and form my own writing voice. The last idea discussed in this fantastic writing book by Jeff Gerke is Aristotle’s Rhetoric.
Aristotle’s Rhetoric
According to Aristotle, there are three methods to move your reader along the path of persuasion and ultimately land them where you hope they will end up: at the end of your story.
In his first method of seeming credible, Aristotle states that a reader is more inclined to read your work if you at least seem credible in your subject matter. Your work should be perceived as accurate and trustworthy.
The second method of persuasion is all about putting your reader in the right mood and its importance can be summed up with, “the orator has to arouse emotions…because emotions have the power to modify our judgments.”(Gerke 218)
The third method involves creating a great case. Rousing emotion and curiosity will culminate in the creation of a great case balanced with evidence and testimony to the great story of the orator’s.
To Sum it all up…
As I close this book for the last time and finalize this in-depth writing study I want to remind you of all of the lessons I’ve examined from Gerke’s book.
Here’s a look at all previous chapters:
Chapter 4: Purple Prose and Painted Paragraphs
Chapter 5: The Immediate Inciting Incident
Chapter 10: Speech Attributions
Chapter 13: Switching Between Story Lines
Chapter 14: Floating Body Parts
Chapter 15: Gerunds and Beyond
Chapter 16: Breaking the Fourth Wall
Chapter 19: Elmore Leonard’s Rules
Chapter 21: Hacking Your Reader’s Brain
Chapter 22: Character Brain-Plot Brain
Chapter 23: A Brain Chemistry Story Map
Chapter 24: What’s It All About, Alfie
In other news, next week I will be beginning an in-depth study of Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. I’ve heard so much about this book and I look forward to expanding my writing skills and passion as a result of this book.
The Ameri Brit Mom
The Ameri Brit Mom 