FAQs
Don’t these types of “techniques” make a book formulaic?
Ah, the dreaded literary F-word: formulaic!
I would argue just the opposite. Delving into technique hones writers' craft, freeing them up to go deeper into their story in ways that will resonate with readers.
Aren’t books mostly written in scene?
Some books, especially certain genres like mystery, thriller and romance, are primarily constructed in scene, but many novels, and most memoirs, use a combination of narrative techniques.
Scene is by far the most important of the narrative techniques for fiction and memoir.
Choosing where, why and how to use scene is essential to gain authorial control of your book, develop pacing, tension, interiority and deepen character arcs.
How long is the course?
The Switchback Scene Technique is a brief but mighty mini-course.
Recorded teaching portions and can be completed in under an hour, but the technique can be continuously applied to your writing and revisions.
How long will I have access to the course?
Forever!
As long as this course exists on this platform, come back to learn and absorb at your own pace.
Are there any required course materials?
The course references the bestselling book: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. This is a memoir that has received some of the highest praise a memoir can get - that it reads like a novel!
And it reads like a novel because of beautifully crafted scenes.
You don’t need to have read The Glass Castle* to benefit from the course, however, I highly recommend it!
(*Affiliate link - supports local bookstores at no extra cost to you!)
One of the goals of this course is to reveal scene elements used by masterful authors, and provide a step-by-step method to incorporate these elements into your own work.
With a little training, our favorite books become our best teachers and resources.
Do you offer refunds?
Not on mini-courses, due to the relatively short duration, and low price.
But I welcome any questions or points I can clarify!
My intent is to make widely available a key writing technique that I didn't learn until after my MFA program, when I became a developmental editor.
Learn the technique that helps you move from doubting your work to building your book.
Contact me at www.abigailraeke.com. I personally answer all serious / constructive messages.
