The Rule of Three

In the 2017 Duck Tales series, the triplets have distinct voices and personalities: Huey is intelligent and logical, Dewey is adventurous and excitable, and Louie is laid-back and cunning. Uncle Donald’s nephews are an example of The Rule of Three.

The Rule of Three is a storytelling principle that suggests people better understand concepts, situations, and ideas in groups of three. Over time, the rule has been confirmed by anthropological experts as an archetypal principle that works on three levels: sentences, situations, and stories.

For example, writers can use The Rule of Three in sentences to heighten the impact of a description. In “The Betrothal”, my story in the February 2025 issue of Black Sheep: Unique Tales of Terror and Wonder, I used The Rule of Three twice in one sentence to enhance my description of the neighborhood along the Canopic Way:

“The wide-lawn villas and estates of marble, granite, and limestone gradually gave way to rows of dingy, narrow-chested, faux marble rowhouses...”

There are many other examples you’ll recognize for grouping similar words in a set of three: veni, vedi, vici (meaning I came, I saw, I conquered); Snap, Crackle, and Pop; and Stop, Look, and Listen. So, as long as you don’t overdo it, words as well as phrases can be more memorable in groups of three.

Although you might think the rhythm of three makes the writing seem contrived, check out how it influences you as you read and listen to stories and commercials. And then, take a look at “The Betrothal" here  and here.