leon-conrad | areadersreviewblog

#storystructure #storytelling #writing

Story and Structure: A complete guide illustrated by Jason Chuang
Nonfiction 528 pages (xxviii, 500)

Book Synopsis

Why does story exist? What makes story ‘story’?
And how can understanding story help us shape our life story more effectively?

Story and Structure tells the untold story of how story works. Using just six primary symbols, author Leon Conrad outlines eighteen story structures and shows how they all optimally solve the problems which give rise to them. The book also demonstrates the much wider application of story, presenting new insights into story as a dynamic force of life, allowing the reader to access more harmony and flow in their life. Writers, storytellers, creative writing teachers, folklorists, narrative therapists, anthropologists, poets, and readers interested in how story works will all find this book useful and informative. Rethink your idea of story.

Paperback – The Squeeze Press – 1 Nov 2022 – £29.95
Signed Limited Edition Hardback (450 copies) – Aladdin’s Cave Publishing – 10 Aug 2022 – £40.00
Purchase link: http://www.leonconrad.com/writer

My Review

Delves Deeply into the craft of storytelling – 5 stars

Story and Structure delves deeply into the crafting of story in its many and varied forms, As an avid reader, it gave me a valuable insight into the structure, patterns and motivations inherent in what I read. In the work the author examines 18 types of stories and their structure in what I found to be a unique approach using a set of 6 primary symbols. The story types examined include the creation myth, rags to riches, the quest, dilemma, voyage and return and others I was less familiar with.

I particularly enjoyed the well-crafted use of examples the author uses to illustrate the analysis, using stories which range from old favourites such as the Three Little Pigs and Snow White to those from other cultures. The references to poetry, song and the oral tradition of storytelling were also useful in examining both the origin and development of all types of storytelling over time. It is a work which made me think more deeply about what I read and one which will become a valuable source of reference in the future.

The book provides a valuable set of keys to unlock, create and comprehend story in all its forms and as such is highly recommended to readers, writers, students and academics alike.

Please note, this book was given to me by the author and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

About the Author

Leon Conrad – Author, Educator, Story Structure Consultant

I’m a traditionally published author and storyteller. I’ve been a regular columnist, had articles published in journals and magazines, written theatre shows, and contributed to radio programmes. I teach creative writing and am a meticulous and collaborative editor and story structure consultant to both fiction and non-fiction writers.

My latest book, Story and Structure (The Squeeze Press, 2022) reveals new information about story and how we can live more harmoniously by following the ‘laws of story’. It’s based on the work of George Spencer-Brown’s remarkable book, Laws of Form. I was his last student, and he guided me through the work himself.

My TEDx talk on the Magic of Words, with marimba player Aristel Škrbič, is on YouTube (HYit3MYAoqM) and my free on-line course taking readers through Laws of Form available on You Tube (https://www.leonconrad.com/lawsofform) has had over 5,000 views (as at July 2022).

As a storyteller, I’ve been studying the Drut’syla Midrash, a little-known oral tradition and approach to latticing stories with storyteller Shonaleigh Cumbers since 2015.

I’m co-founder and lead trainer at The Academy of Oratory (previously The Conrad Voice Consultancy) and I tutor students across the world using an integrated approach to a classical liberal arts education through The Traditional Tutor and The Penelope Institute for gifted and profoundly gifted learners as well as being Orator in Residence at The Next Society Institute.