The hottest Structure Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Literature Topics

Why "Plot" Isn't a Four-Letter Word

Counter Craft • 1115 implied HN points • 30 Jan 26
⚔ Fiction Structure
  1. Plot is a tool, not a bad thing; learning to plot gives you a solid foundation that can actually let you be more inventive and experimental. It can work alongside character and theme and doesn’t have to be formulaic.
  2. Think in flexible story principles rather than strict templates; ideas like escalation, variation, oscillation, intersection, and redirection help shape a story without dictating exact beats. Use these principles as guides when revising and reordering scenes.
  3. Escalation matters: a story should generally increase in stakes, intensity, or interest toward a meaningful climax, and scenes should be arranged to support that build. But avoid a straight, predictable climb by adding setbacks and variation so escalation feels surprising and earned.

James Joyce's Ulysses

Classical Wisdom • 1709 implied HN points • 16 Jun 23
📚 Literature Structure
  1. James Joyce's Ulysses is a retelling of Homer's Odyssey in a modern setting.
  2. The main characters in Ulysses are inspired by major figures from the Odyssey, like Leopold Bloom as an 'everyman' version of Odysseus.
  3. Ulysses follows a unique structure influenced by the Odyssey, with each chapter reflecting elements from the ancient epic.

Alan Moore: Part 1

Pizza Party • 56 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
💥 Comics Structure
  1. A practical guide breaks the craft of comics into concrete parts like structure, plot, scripting, and scene-specific pacing to help you plan and shape stories more effectively.
  2. A philosophical perspective shows that storytelling is many interlocking disciplines and that writing functions as a technology for preserving ideas, shaping consciousness, and informing creative choices.
  3. Even dense, idiosyncratic lessons contain useful pieces you can apply; mixing practical techniques with broader ideas will strengthen your creative process.

the puzzle of authority when no one is really in charge

Brain Pizza • 331 implied HN points • 28 Jul 25
📖 Philosophy Structure
  1. Authority can be confusing when no one person is clearly in charge. It's hard to know who to turn to for decisions or guidance.
  2. The way organizations are structured affects how power and responsibility are shared. A balanced structure can help everyone work better together.
  3. Questions about leadership can highlight gaps in communication within large groups or systems. Finding clear lines of contact is important for success.

The Dough Before the Dough

Wordloaf • 491 implied HN points • 15 Feb 23
🍲 Food & Drink Structure
  1. Preferments can enhance flavor, leavening power, structure, extensibility, convenience, and economy in bread baking.
  2. There are different kinds of preferments like poolish, biga, and pâte fermentée, each with unique characteristics and uses.
  3. Consider factors like preferment percentage, yeast amount, readiness, and storage duration when using preferments in bread recipes.
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Why Masques And Princes Are Red

Outlandish Claims • 19 implied HN points • 02 Jul 24
📚 Literature Structure
  1. Writers like Shakespeare and Poe had unique approaches to crafting their work, whether through adapting plots or utilizing structured methods like Poe's philosophy in writing.
  2. In 'The Tempest,' Prospero's play within the play reflects a self-aware narrative, hinting at the consequences of his actions and unintentional summoning of death.
  3. The number 108 holds significance in Poe's 'The Raven,' aligning with religious symbolism and mirroring the poem's structure, showcasing a mathematical poetic form derived in a deeper connection to spiritual themes.

Structure and Its Discontents

Counter Craft • 735 implied HN points • 15 Dec 23
📚 Literature Structure
  1. Different cultures use various story structures, like kishōtenketsu, Freytag's Pyramid, etc.
  2. Story structures are abstract and can apply to different narratives globally.
  3. Writers can experiment with various structures to keep their work fresh and try new frameworks.

drafting 2/

practiceprocesscraft • 78 implied HN points • 22 May 23
🚌 Education Structure
  1. Sketching in writing can help structure your ideas before committing fully.
  2. Different forms of sketches include structured outlines, summary sketches, and visual sketches.
  3. Asking specific questions can guide your sketching process and help in refining your writing.

Processing: How Rita Bullwinkel Wrote Headshot

Counter Craft • 265 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
📚 Literature Structure
  1. Rita Bullwinkel's novel 'Headshot' showcases a unique structure, following the format of a sports competition but blending it with deep character exploration.
  2. The use of third-person narration in 'Headshot' creates a collective voice for the characters, allowing for a deeper exploration of time manipulation in the story.
  3. Bullwinkel's research background in competitive youth sports informed the authenticity of the novel, particularly in capturing the psychological dynamics of characters in a boxing setting.

The Mathematics of Literature

Holodoxa • 79 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
📚 Literature Structure
  1. Math and literature are more interconnected than commonly thought, with Sarah Hart's book exploring the relationship between the two disciplines in depth.
  2. Once Upon a Prime delves into how mathematics influences different aspects of literature, from fundamental structures like plot and rhyme scheme to using mathematical metaphors and deploying math creatively in storytelling.
  3. Hart's book is a mix of engaging content, with some parts feeling like random trivia, leading to a reading experience that can be a bit scattered but ultimately offers unique insights into the blend of math and literature.

Choosing Your Business Structure - LLC or Sole Proprietorships

BillaBear SaaS Start Up Guide • 1 HN point • 22 Mar 24
💼 Business Structure
  1. Understanding the business structure options (LLC and Sole Proprietorship) is crucial. It affects taxation, liability protection, and growth opportunities.
  2. Sole Proprietorships are simple to set up but face high taxes and limited growth. Personal assets are at risk in case of legal issues.
  3. Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) offer more liability protection, growth opportunities, and flexibility in ownership. They can save on self-employment taxes and allow for easier business continuity.

Content structure survey

Quantum Formalism • 19 implied HN points • 04 Jun 20
🔬 Science Structure
  1. The content structure of the Quantum Formalism newsletter involves foundational content on mathematics concepts like set theory, abstract algebra, topology, and analysis.
  2. Specific Quantum Formalism content focuses on topics like the genesis of quantum formalism, functional analysis, measure theory, and the formalism of quantum mechanics.
  3. The newsletter team is open to subscriber feedback through a survey to adjust and tailor the content structure to meet the needs of their diverse audience.

A theory of truth

Infinitely More • 5 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
📖 Philosophy Structure
  1. Truth in a structure is defined by recursion on sentences, reducing to assertions with temporary assignments of variables
  2. The concept of valuation in a model involves assigning variables to specific individuals, treating them as constants in that context
  3. Tarski's disquotational theory of truth posits that an assertion is true when the proposition it asserts is true, forming the foundation of a compositional theory of truth

TfT #9 / Meaningful structures

Tools for Thought • 3 HN points • 16 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Structure
  1. Chaos and disorganization harm productivity by draining energy, focus, and causing cognitive taxes
  2. Meaningful structures are essential for productivity and should simplify choice, perception, and computation
  3. To create an effective structure, start with first principles, maintain universality, build a Minimal Viable Structure, simplify, keep it lean and antifragile, and automate

Creativity Demands Less Options

NonTrivial • 0 implied HN points • 15 Jul 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Structure
  1. Creativity thrives with freedom to explore and venture into the unknown.
  2. Having too many options can hinder creativity by introducing unnecessary complexities.
  3. Constraints, when used effectively, can guide and compel creativity to produce unique and meaningful results.