What’s so special about the number three?
There’s a reason why the number three is pervasive throughout some of our greatest stories, fairy tales, and myths.
It’s also no coincidence that some of the most famous quotes from throughout history are structured in three parts…
“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
“…of the people, by the people, for the people.”
“See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil.”
It all comes down to the way we humans process information. By necessity, we have become proficient at pattern recognition, and three is the smallest number of elements required to create a simple pattern.
This combination of pattern and brevity results in memorable content, and that’s why the Rule of Three works so well.
Classic writing is always taught to consider of three parts — a beginning, middle and end.
The standard closing argument in courtrooms contain three parts — the recap, the closure statement, the call to action.
The widely used Three-Act structure used in playwriting and screenwriting — the Setup, the Confrontation, the Resolution.
So, if you want to write well on the web, 1) introduce the topic/reason for your content, 2) present your content clearly and succinctly either as a story or with bullet-points or examples, 3) close with a brief recap or link to further info.
That’s all, folks!