What is is with Threes?

Today I get to welcome Stephen Zimmer back to my blog with another Rayden Valkyrie novel. Hurray! And there's even a chance to win signed copies of the whole trilogy! It's a trilogy I've been reading and following and enjoying... and it got me wondering, what is it about 3s and Trilogies. So I asked Stephen, and here's his reply.

Trilogies and the Three-Act Narrative
By Stephen Zimmer


Many of the great stories have been told in the form of trilogies, whether in book or movie form.  The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars (which became a trilogy of trilogies), and many iconic franchises serve as powerful examples of this approach to storytelling. 

My latest release, When Shadows Fall, is also part of a trilogy, completing the storytelling journey that I began with Heart of a Lion and continued with Thunder Horizon.  Looking upon the Dark Sun Dawn Trilogy and thinking about trilogies in general, I think the reason they tend to be very effective methods of storytelling for a multi-book project/series is because they mirror the time-proven three act narrative structure.

In the writing of any series, each installment must be a solid book in its own right, in addition to fulfilling a role for the broader series.  In terms of a full trilogy, the latter roles fit very nicely into the zones of the three-act narrative structure that serves as a prime and effective approach to general storytelling.

Keeping in mind the three-act narrative structure, one can take a look at the installments of a trilogy as acts in that structure.  

The first book sets the foundation and provides the groundwork for the narrative.  It introduces the main characters and sets the core plot in motion, while also unfurling various sub-plots.  A first book might require a little more exposition, and in this regard, it may have a little slower pacing than the subsequent installments.

The second book portrays increasing conflict and advances the core plot, while also moving forward with other sub-plots as the main characters make a concerted move toward a resolution of the primary conflict.  This is a great place for revealing more aspects about the nature of the main conflict and possibly bringing in a few new elements, whether additional characters or new sub-plots.  With the foundation set in the first book, the writer can also accelerate the pace significantly without creating confusion for the reader. 

The third book features the climax of the story with a resolution of the main plot.  Sub-plots are brought together and tied up as well.  It is the place for a grand finale, where pacing can ratchet up yet another notch and character arcs complete their journeys with all of the changes, growth, and transformations that have been taking place over the course of the three installments.  If the trilogy has been constructed well, the third book should provide the biggest payoffs for the reader out of the three installments.  

The mirroring of a trilogy’s installments to a three-act narrative structure results in a very solid rhythm with increasing pacing over the course of the books, where each title will likely be more enjoyable to readers than the previous one as the story builds and flows toward a comprehensive resolution.  This is the reason why I think there are such a large number of popular trilogies when it comes to all genres of fiction and moviemaking.


Good things really do come in three’s! 

Thank you Stephen. Oddly enough, one of the questions at our writers' group meeting this month concerned story structure and the importance of threes. I shall invite all the participants to come over here and read your reply... and maybe even enjoy reading your trilogy. I've certainly enjoyed it very much.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Stephen Zimmer is an award-winning author and filmmaker based out of Lexington Kentucky. His works include the Rayden Valkyrie novels (Sword and Sorcery), the Rising Dawn Saga (Cross Genre), the Fires in Eden Series (Epic Fantasy), the Hellscapes short story collections (Horror), the Chronicles of Ave short story collections (Fantasy), the Harvey and Solomon Tales (Steampunk), and the Faraway Saga (YA Dystopian/Cross-Genre).

Stephen’s visual work includes the feature film Shadows Light, shorts films such as The Sirens and Swordbearer, and the forthcoming Rayden Valkyrie: Saga of a Lionheart TV Pilot.

Stephen is a proud Kentucky Colonel who also enjoys the realms of music, martial arts, good bourbons, and spending time with family.

WHERE TO FIND HIM:



Website: http://www.stephenzimmer.com


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/stephenzimmer7


Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sgzimmer


Instagram:  http://www.instagram.com/stephenzimmer7


ABOUT THE BOOK:

 When shadows fall, the dominion of light reigns.

Rayden Valkyrie and her companions enter the Imperial City, the heart of the rising Teveren Empire.  Never before has her gaze taken in a city so vast, wealthy, and populous.  

Sensual delights, grandiose spectacles, and the spilling of blood enthrall wealthy and poor alike.  Beneath the surface, Rayden senses an undercurrent of a darker nature.

Learning everything she can of the venomous secrets lurking within the shadows, little time remains before a host of northern tribes arrives outside its walls.

Power lies within blood, and dark rituals have unlocked mysteries from the depths of the abyss.

Legions are on the march, a storm is about to unleash, and a dark sun will soon rise.

When Shadows Fall, the conclusion of the Dark Sun Dawn Trilogy.

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:



Kindle Version:  https://www.amazon.com/When-Shadows-Fall-Dark-Dawn-ebook/dp/B07ZZJX1K8/


Amazon Print Version:  https://www.amazon.com/When-Shadows-Fall-Dark-Trilogy/dp/1948042908/


Barnes and Noble Link:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-shadows-fall-stephen-zimmer/1135226703?ean=9781948042901


FIND OUT MORE: FOLLOW THE TOUR!

 1/15     MyLifeMyBooksMyEscape      http://mylifemybooksmyescape.wordpress.com       Author interview
1/16     Armed with A Book     http://www.armedwithabook.com     Guest Post
1/17     Armed with A Book     http://www.armedwithabook.com     Top Ten's List
1/17     Sapphyria's Books       https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/     Guest Post
1/18     I Smell Sheep   http://www.ismellsheep.com/            Guest Post
1/19     Jazzy Book Reviews     https://bookreviewsbyjasmine.blogspot.com/           Author Interview
1/20     The Literary Underworld        http://www.literaryunderworld.com  Guest Post
1/20     Beauty in Ruins - She Leads he Reads   https://femledfantasy.home.blog     Guest Post
1/21     Sheila's Guests and Reviews   http://sheiladeeth.blogspot.com        Guest Post
1/22     The Book Junkie Reads . . .     https://thebookjunkiereadspromos.blogspot.com     Author Interview
1/22     Willow's Thoughts and Book Obsessions       http://wssthoughtsandbookobsessions.blogspot.com/            Review

AND...

Enter the When Shadows Fall Blog Tour Contest for a chance at many prizes including a signed trilogy in print! Extra entries available when you follow participating bloggers on Twitter!
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