BONUS: Matthew LeDrew Writing Class | Winter 2026 | Class 01

Recorded February 11, 2026 in front of a live group of students. Identifiable student information has been edited out.

Intro everyone / what are they writing? Everyone reads freely this first time, people encouraged to read a little and then stop, then NEXT TIME we will pick reading partners.

Introducing the core concepts of PATTERNS in writing and studying writing. 

                1. RULE OF THREE’S: Talking about patterns. How humans form patterns, how we see patterns, and how we can use this in planning our written work. You might envision a climax: how do you use Rule of 3s to get there? You might envision the middle section of your novel: how do you use Rule of 3s to set that up then pay that off.
                 Use this to introduce the main course material of SHERLOCK. An example where there are ONLY things that are Setup, Reminded, and Paid Off. There is no ‘fat’ on Sherlock.

The Rule of Three
 Main article: Rule of three (writing). The third event in a series of events becomes "the final trigger for something important to happen." This pattern appears in childhood stories such as "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", "Cinderella", and "Little Red Riding Hood". In adult stories, the Rule of Three conveys the gradual resolution of a process that leads to transformation. This transformation can be downwards as well as upwards. Booker asserts that the Rule of Three is expressed in four ways[citation needed]: The simple, or cumulative three, for example, in the original version, Cinderella's three visits to the ball The ascending three, where each event is of more significance than the preceding, for example, the hero must win first bronze, then silver, then gold objects. The contrasting three, where only the third has positive value, for example, The Three Little Pigs, two of whose houses are blown down by the Big Bad Wolf. The final or dialectical form of three, where, as with Goldilocks and her bowls of porridge, the first is wrong in one way, the second in an opposite way, and the third is "just right".[3]

                2. Setup, Remind, Payoff: An extension of the Rule of 3’s, making sure that the only information presented is the information that needs to be presented. Making sure we’re “using all the toys we took out.” “Setup, Remind, Payoff” gives further structure to the concept of ‘Rules of Threes’ and allows it to co-exist with another rule. “Don’t Give the Reader the Same Information Twice.”

                3. Show, Don’t Tell: Give the Reader “2+2,” don’t ever give them “4.” Right away. Think of how you’re giving information to the reader. Think of those opening scenes of Sherlock, how

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