Hello! Welcome back to our course.
In our last lesson, we explored a deeply personal aspect of writing: using it as a tool to unearth and examine our own hidden biases and assumptions. We saw how the act of putting thoughts into words is a powerful test of their coherence, and how acknowledging our intellectual blind spots can actually make our writing more credible and profound.
Today, we're shifting our focus from the what of our writing to the how. A powerful idea is a great start, but the way you structure its presentation can make the difference between a forgettable piece and one that truly sticks with the reader. Our goal for this lesson is to learn how to outline a short piece using an unconventional format (e.g., a list, dialogue, fragments) to support its central idea.
This is a key step toward developing the kind of creative, witty, and structurally playful style you admire. Standard essays have their place, but breaking the mold of introduction-body-conclusion can unlock new dimensions of meaning and engagement.
1. Why Form is More Than a Container
In subjects like mathematics or physics, you know that choosing the right framework—like picking a polar coordinate system for a circular motion problem instead of a Cartesian one—can radically simplify the solution and reveal the underlying beauty of the system.
Writing is no different. The structure of a piece isn't just a neutral container for your ideas; it actively shapes how they are perceived. An unconventional format can:
- Create a metaphor for the idea itself.
- Surprise the reader and make a familiar topic feel new.
- Generate humor or irony through juxtaposition.
- Guide the reader's thinking in a specific, deliberate way.
Creative non-fiction, the genre that encompasses the philosophical and personal essays you're interested in, is particularly fertile ground for this kind of experimentation.
I'm Politely Begging You to Write Nonfiction
Let's watch a short clip from the 'Writing with Andrew' channel that highlights why essays are such a great space for playing with form.
Watch the section from 13:43 to 14:34. The speaker discusses how, unlike the more rigid structures often found in fiction or poetry, essays offer incredible freedom. Listen for the different types of unconventional essay forms he mentions.
As the video suggests, the main constraint is that the form should follow the "contours of your thoughts." Let's explore some of the specific forms you can use.
2. A Catalog of Unconventional Structures
When we move beyond the traditional paragraph-based essay, a whole world of structural possibilities opens up. The key is to see these not as gimmicks, but as tools, each suited for a different task.
Storyville: 15 Unconventional Story Methods
The article 'Storyville: 15 Unconventional Story Methods' by Richard Thomas for LitReactor provides an excellent overview of different structural approaches. While it's aimed at fiction, these methods are powerfully effective in creative non-fiction as well.
Please read the following five sections from the article to get a sense of the variety of forms available: 3. LIST: Notice how a list can create a narrative or argument through a series of observations. 4. EPISTOLARY: Think about how telling a story through letters, emails, or even receipts could reveal a character or idea over time. 5. ALL DIALOGUE: Consider how a conversation can expose a philosophical conflict without any descriptive text. 7. METAFICTION: This is a technique we've touched on before. Note how it involves writing that is self-aware of its own construction. 14. FOOTNOTES: See how footnotes can be used to add a secondary voice, a counter-argument, or humorous asides to the main text.
As the author of that article wisely notes in his conclusion, the format must serve the story (or in our case, the central idea). It should add a layer of meaning, not just be a distraction.
Test your understanding!
Imagine you want to write a short piece about the idea that modern life is pulling our attention in too many directions at once. From the list you just read about, which format might be particularly effective, and why?
Show answer
Several could work, but a List or Footnotes would be excellent choices.
- You could structure the piece as a list of fragmented thoughts, browser tabs open, and half-finished tasks to mimic the experience of a scattered mind.
- You could write a primary narrative and use footnotes to represent all the constant interruptions, tangents, and digital notifications that pull away from the main point.
3. Deep Dive: The Hermit Crab Essay
One of the most versatile and creative unconventional forms is the hermit crab essay. The name is a perfect metaphor: just as a hermit crab finds and inhabits an empty shell, a writer takes a pre-existing form from the world and uses it as the structure for their essay.
This could be a recipe, a legal disclaimer, a product review, a syllabus, a police report—anything with a recognizable format.
Let's look at a brilliant example.
Operating Instructions for a Kind Life
The blog post 'Operating Instructions for a Kind Life' from A Year of Living Kindly is a perfect demonstration of a hermit crab essay. The author, Donna Cameron, uses the format of a product instruction manual to explore the concept of kindness.
First, read the introductory paragraphs where the author defines the hermit crab essay. Then, read the essay itself, 'Operating Instructions for the Commitment to Kindness Kit™ 2.0'. As you read, pay close attention to how the instruction manual format reinforces the central idea. Ask yourself: Why frame kindness as a 'kit'? What is the effect of listing 'Materials Needed' like patience and courage? How do the 'Steps' and 'Warnings and Cautions' sections contribute to the essay's message?
By using this format, the author makes an abstract concept (kindness) feel tangible and actionable. The "Warnings" section, for instance, allows for a nuanced discussion of how kindness can be misinterpreted—a point that might feel less engaging in a standard essay format. This is a perfect marriage of form and content.
4. Practice: Outline Your Experimental Piece
Now it's your turn to be the architect. Your task is to take an idea and design an unconventional structure for it. This is an outlining exercise, so focus on the blueprint, not on writing the final piece.
Step 1: Choose Your Central Idea (2 minutes)
Select a simple concept or argument. A great source would be the bias you wrote about in our last lesson. Alternatively, pick a simple philosophical idea you find interesting.
Examples:
- From last lesson: The bias that being busy is a sign of importance.
- Philosophical idea: The paradox of choice (having too many options can lead to unhappiness).
- Personal observation: The strange intimacy of talking to strangers on the internet.
Step 2: Brainstorm Formats (5 minutes)
Think of at least three unconventional formats that could house your idea. Don't censor yourself—let the ideas be playful.
Example for "The paradox of choice":
- A restaurant menu with an overwhelming number of absurdly detailed options.
- A "Choose Your Own Path" story where every choice leads to a new, equally complex set of choices, resulting in paralysis.
- A series of rejection letters from a job applicant to companies, explaining why they can't decide which offer to accept.
Step 3: Select and Outline (8 minutes)
Pick the most promising format from your brainstorm. Create an outline for a short piece (200-300 words). Your outline should clearly show how the sections of your chosen format will be used to explore your central idea.
Here's a template you can follow:
- Central Idea:
- Chosen Format:
- Why this format works: (A brief sentence on how the structure enhances the idea)
- Outline:
- Section 1 Title (e.g., "Appetizers" for a menu): [Briefly describe the content of this section and its purpose]
- Section 2 Title (e.g., "Main Courses"): [Briefly describe the content and purpose]
- Section 3 Title (e.g., "Desserts"): [Briefly describe the content and purpose]
- ...and so on, depending on the format.
Conclusion
Today, we've added a vital set of tools to your writer's toolkit. By moving beyond traditional structures, you can create writing that is more memorable, surprising, and conceptually rich.
Key Takeaways:
- Form is Content: The structure of your writing is not just a container; it's an active part of your message.
- Experimentation is Key: Creative non-fiction provides the freedom to experiment with forms like lists, dialogues, and metafiction.
- The Hermit Crab Essay: This technique of "inhabiting" a pre-existing form (like a recipe or manual) is a powerful way to make abstract ideas concrete and engaging.
- Serve the Idea: The goal of using an unconventional format is always to strengthen, clarify, or add a new dimension to your central idea, not just to be clever for its own sake.
A Look Ahead:
This exploration of structure is the perfect preparation for our next module, where we dive headfirst into your goal of creating video essays. In the next lesson, we will analyze the structure, pacing, and hooks of a successful video essay script, looking at examples from writers like exurb1a. You'll see how professional creators use both traditional and unconventional structural elements to build compelling arguments for the screen.