Let me count the ways, or the nine billion names of God*

von anketroeder

I am always somewhat apprehensive when people try and put ideas into numbered boxes. The three best story structures. The five best selling whatever. Partly because I get so incredibly bored by sure fire sales rules such as catchy (= cheesy) numbers in a headline, and secondly, because I fervently want to believe that though the number of story plots may be limited, as long as words are alive, they are kicking and struggling and doing as they please. Fullstop.

Still, I like Pink’s approach to Six Elevator Pitches for the 21st Century.

(And yes, it really should be six, not 6. We do not start a sentence with numerals. One more lovely reason to not use them in a headline.)

*) The title is an allusion to A.C. Clarke’s famous short story. I keep finding good allusions are getting lost a little, lately. The title is also an allusion to a line from the 43rd sonnet of Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barret Browning.