Comments on: How Planned Disconnectors Create Powerful Articles

By: Pro Writing Tips » 10 ways to keep readers engaged

Pro Writing Tips » 10 ways to keep readers engaged — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:00:38 +0000

[...] Don’t head straight to your point. Take a detour. [...]

By: Corey Frisbee

Corey Frisbee — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:16:19 +0000

Thank you! Thank you!

http://writetodone.com/

By: Sean D'Souza

Sean D'Souza — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 18:17:33 +0000

Hah, that was nit picky, but hey it was a nice sort of nit picking. :)

By: Deb M

Deb M — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:11:41 +0000

Wonderful article about how to use and not use disconnects. Your analogy for the unplanned disconnects – the pages torn out of a novel – is great and describes the frustrations of the reader very well.

I just can’t resist one real nit-picky, inconsequential, tiny, little thing – if you read up to page 5 in a novel and the next page is torn out – you’ll be missing pages 6 and 7 because they are printed back to back. You’d go from page 5 to page 8. Ha! I told you it was nit-picky. I’m sorry – this does little to further the discussion and has absolutely nothing to do with your very helpful article. :)

I’ve seen your articles around in a few places lately and had just signed up for your newsletter this morning because of them. Thanks for all you share with us and thanks to Mary for having great guest posters.

Deb

By: Iain Broome

Iain Broome — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 19:01:52 +0000

I think what you’re describing is the crux to most writing. It ties in well with the old show don’t tell theory and more importantly, encourages the writer to always think about the reader. Give them enough to stay interested, but always join up the dots.

Interesting article – thanks.

By: curiousjessica

curiousjessica — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:31:35 +0000

I am a total sucker for novels/films where the scene is set on something serene, like someone sitting on a park bench feeding birds, and then the scene cuts to the same person freaking out in a mental asylum, and you reaise the first scene was just in their imagination/in the past. I always love surprises in stories… these disconnectors really do add to the pace and rhythm of a story…I hope this comment makes sense?

By: Sean D'Souza

Sean D'Souza — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:11:49 +0000

Glad you’re finding the article useful. I use disconnectors all the time. And they’re great for building drama.

Just make sure you don’t forget to connect later.

Watch a soap, or a comedy tonight, and you’ll see disconnectors and connectors at various points. It’s not linear like the news.

By: Frances

Frances — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:23:30 +0000

This is going to be very helpful. I now have to rethink the post I was going to do today.

By: Stephen - Rat Race Trap

Stephen - Rat Race Trap — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:13:30 +0000

Sean, this was very good. I believe that I possibly have left some articles finished and never went back and finished them because I got interested in some other line of thinking. I’m going to correct that problem.

By: Nate @ Money Young

Nate @ Money Young — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 06:47:13 +0000

Sean, I never thought of my posts this way, I’m going to have to be conscious of this when I write. Thanks for the input!

-Nate