Nothing keeps readers on the edge of their seats like a good TRD— my term for plot twists, reversals, and moments of heightened danger.
In this video, we’ll explore examples of TRDs that one of my students listed from the book “Agincourt,” by Bernard Cornwell, revealing how they propel the narrative and determine the story’s pace.
Every writer has a unique pace, just as every story demands its distinctive beat. TRDs are your ticket to ensuring the pace and rhythm of your stories is always perfect.
Hello, Jane Cleland here.
The question is: can you give me an example of a TRD? Well, yes, certainly.
First of all, let me define the term. TRD is my term. It’s an acronym for plot twist, plot reversal, or a moment of heightened danger.
T (Twist): Something unexpected, but not the opposite.
R (Reversal): Unexpected and the opposite.
D (Danger): This could be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual.
One of my students, Justin O’Donnell, analyzed every TRD in the book Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell. It’s a middle-grade/young adult adventure set between 1000 and 1200 and typically involves a war between the English and the French—that’s Bernard Cornwell’s style in general.
In Agincourt, I want to read you what Justin wrote. I think he summarizes it so beautifully and does such a great job with the TRDs. Here’s what he said:
“Bernard Cornwell’s Agincourt kept my undivided attention for 430 pages. The tale follows a yeoman archer from England named Nicholas Hook. Twists, reversals, and moments of heightened danger occur at every turn.”
Justin listed them in chronological order, annotated as T for twist, R for reversal, and D for a moment of heightened danger:
Page 8 (D): Hook tries to settle a family feud by murdering a rival. He fails. His lord finds out and sends him to join the war.
Page 27 (R): Hook saves a woman from being raped by a priest. He punches the priest, which results in a death sentence for Hook. A sergeant helps him escape. Now he’s an outlaw.
Page 61 (D): A battle begins.
Page 80 (R): The place is sacked and betrayed from within. Hook saves a nun and kills his former commander, who was the traitor.
Page 102 (R): Hook meets the King of England.
I’m going to stop there, but you see that it’s every 20 pages—80, 102, 120, 140, and so on. Every 20 pages, there’s a TRD. That’s quite a fast pace and a consistent one at that. You get into the rhythm of it.
Now, I should make an important point: there’s no one best pace. This works for this book.
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Thank you so much!
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