How The Rule Of Three Can Improve Your Writing | Writer’s Relief (2024)

How The Rule Of Three Can Improve Your Writing | Writer’s Relief (1)

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Ronnie L. Smith

Writer's Relief: Helping creative writers find literary agents or get published in literary journals

Published Jun 13, 2022

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Some successful writers follow the rules, and some don’t. But knowing and following grammar rules, writing style rules, proofreading rules, and submission rules can help boost your odds of getting published. And the experts at Writer’s Relief know another rule that savvy writers should follow: the Rule of Three. This writing advice is based on the psychology that things are somehow more appealing when they occur in threes. Here’s how using the Rule of Three can help improve your writing!

Improve Your Writing With The Rule Of Three

One: Give Your Readers Satisfaction:Thecomfort of “three”occurs in many aspects of life. A Latin quote,Omne trium, perfectum,translates to “everything that comes in threes is perfect.”

There’s even the old superstition that good things—or bad things—happen in threes.

Using the Rule of Three in your writing will helpkeep your readers engaged. If your characters attempt something and fail, conflict arises. When they try and fail again, frustration and tension are increased. But if they fail the third time and move on to a fourth attempt—it starts to become tedious. Having them succeed on the third try will feel more “complete” to your readers.

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Character groupings also work better in threes: ConsiderThe Three Musketeers, Three Blind Mice, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs—and of course, Ron, Hermione, and Harry.

Two: Create A Pattern:Three is the minimum number of things required to create a pattern, and readers enjoy spotting a pattern and trying to predict what happens next. For instance, you might briefly introduce a character in your story, and then bring that character back a bit later. Readers will remember the character and start to form opinions. By the third appearance, your readers have a sense of what to expect from this character—whether as a friend, a foe, or something else.

Three! Add Some Surprise:Another way to use the Rule of Three in your writing is to introduce aplot twiston the third appearance. Comedians often use groupings of three in their jokes. They start you on a path with the first two parts—then the third element subverts your expectations and you laugh! Here’s an example from author and comedian Laura Kightlinger: “I can’t think of anything worse after a night of drinking than waking up next to someone and not being able to remember their name, or how you met, or why they’re dead.”

Introduce a surprising twist by following the Rule of Three. You might have a new character show up out of the blue twice to assist your protagonist—but then betray your hero on the third appearance. Or a character in your short story or book might be a shy, mousy type who backs down twice when confronted, only to suddenly stand up for what’s right on the third try. Joslyn Chase, a prize-winning author of mysteries and thrillers, uses the Rule of Three to perfection when she adds this little twist at the end: “Three things your spouse wants you to do in the event of an argument—take a breath, take a hint, and take a hike.”

Of course, following grammar, style, andtrope rulescan help us become better writers, but as author Somerset Maugham so famously stated (while invoking the Rule of Three), “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.”

One thing we do know: Adding the Rule of Three to your personal writing tool kit can improve your writing (and maybe make it three times better!).

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How The Rule Of Three Can Improve Your Writing | Writer’s Relief (2024)

FAQs

How The Rule Of Three Can Improve Your Writing | Writer’s Relief? ›

Using the Rule of Three

Rule of Three
Meaning. The rule of three can refer to a collection of three words, phrases, sentences, lines, paragraphs/stanzas, chapters/sections of writing and even whole books. The three elements together are known as a triad. The technique is used not just in prose, but also in poetry, oral storytelling, films, and advertising.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Rule_of_three_(writing)
in your writing will help keep your readers engaged. If your characters attempt something and fail, conflict arises. When they try and fail again, frustration and tension are increased. But if they fail the third time and move on to a fourth attempt—it starts to become tedious.

Why is the rule of three important in writing? ›

The rule of three is a storytelling principle that suggests people better understand concepts, situations, and ideas in groups of three. Over time, the rule has been confirmed by anthropological experts as an archetypal principle that works on three levels: sentences, situations, and stories.

What effect does rule of three have on the reader? ›

The rule of three in writing is a successful literary technique because it makes stories memorable, emotionally impactful, and persuasive for readers.

What is an example of the rule of three in writing? ›

Some examples include: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness – Rights outlined in the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Liberté, égalité, fraternité – The slogan of the French Republic predating 1790.

What is the rule of three in content writing? ›

Whenever you want to emphasize an idea or a character, use a combination of three successive or powerful words to structure a sentence. This method holds one of the most highly responsive records where three parallel elements, earthier words, or phrases are used in a single sentence to structure a memorable term.

Why is the rule of three so powerful? ›

Hence, the rule of three: a principle that suggests that things arranged in threes are more satisfying, effective, and memorable than other numbers. This principle is used in various forms of communication, from storytelling to public speaking, advertising, and more.

How does rule of three persuade the reader? ›

In persuasive writing, the rule of three is where three different adjectives are used in conjunction to impart emphasis and have a real impact. The rule of three is also sometimes used in descriptive writing as well. It can help to make your writing stronger and more memorable, and prove your point.

What are the benefits of the rule of three? ›

The Rule of Three helps you put a bow on the things you actually do accomplish. You can look back and remind yourself what you actually set out to do. You can compare with what you actually achieved.

What does rule of three do to the audience? ›

Three is the most powerful number in communication. An audience is far more likely to remember information if it's presented in groups of threes. If you give your audience one piece of information, they will feel it's not enough. If you offer more than three they may find that overwhelming.

What are 3 reasons to use the rule of thirds? ›

Why It's Important. The rule of thirds is important because it creates a good balance between the elements in the frame. It helps you decide how much background and foreground are necessary for a visually appealing photograph. It also helps you manage the empty space, especially when your scene has plenty of it.

Why does the rule of three work? ›

THREE IS THE SMALLEST NUMBER REQUIRED TO MAKE A PATTERN. And there lies its power. In its many forms, the Rule of Three, at heart, utilises simple three-element patterns to communicate complex ideas effectively. The pattern works because it is short.

What is the rule of thirds and how can you use it? ›

The rule of thirds in photography is a guideline that places the subject in the left or right third of an image, leaving the other two thirds more open. It divides a photo into nine equal parts, split by two equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines.

What is the power of 3 method? ›

The power of three is one of the oldest and most effective principles in communication. Basically, it describes communicating three separate ideas together as a group. It is used in literature, comedy, music, marketing and even law. And it is a powerful technique to incorporate into our pitch.

What are the three 3 writing techniques? ›

As explained in the USC Rossier infographic, “There are three writing capacities: writing to persuade, writing to explain, and writing to convey real or imagined experiences.” These three types of writing are usually called argument, informative, and narrative writing.

What is the rule of three learning? ›

In academia its common practice to structure lessons and assignments around the rule of three. Learners of all ages typically need to do or interact with the new content three times before the information becomes concrete to memory. This is especially true in any kind of technical training.

Why is the rule of thirds important? ›

The rule of thirds is important because it creates a good balance between the elements in the frame. It helps you decide how much background and foreground are necessary for a visually appealing photograph. It also helps you manage the empty space, especially when your scene has plenty of it.

Why is the three step writing process important? ›

The three-step writing process is a writing technique that is commonly used in professional settings. It helps business writers to persuade or inform their audience about a specific topic because it requires them to research and outline their communication before it is written.

Why is the power of three important? ›

It's an observation that the human brain tends to break up complex concepts into three parts for easier comprehension and analysis. The Power of Three is relevant because the number three is the lowest figure that can be used to form patterns in our mind.

Why is the 3X3 writing process important? ›

The 3X3 Writing Method works because it creates clarity and structure for your audience. Reason #1: The 3X3 Method Simplifies Complex Ideas. By forcing you to distill your message into three main points, it ensures that you're only including the most crucial information.

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