The Surprising Truth About MRUs: Where They Work—and Where They Don’t
Ever found yourself tangled in the tricky dance of storytelling, wondering if you really have to use Motivation-Reaction Units (MRUs) at every turn? Yeah, me too. The truth is, MRUs—those bite-sized chunks where something happens to your character and then they respond—are like the heartbeat of showing rather than telling in fiction. But what if you don’t want to show every single detail? Is it even possible, or smart, to skip the MRU rhythm sometimes? When it comes to blending backstory or those quieter, less “tiger leaps from the tree” moments, the lines blur—and the questions pile up. Lucky for us, Randy Ingermanson dives deep into this very conundrum, breaking down the what, why, and when of MRUs with a dash of humor and a sprinkle of wisdom. Ready to reconsider your storytelling flow—without turning your pages into a never-ending adrenaline rush? Let’s explore when to show, when to tell, and why it’s perfectly okay to keep some parts simple and swift. LEARN MORE
