Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Open your notebook, take out your pen, and welcome a bold new approach to teaching the art of great storytelling. In 27 lessons, drawn from 27 critical moments at the heart of 27 diverse narratives--from plays, novels, movies, television, and even songs and video games--Daniel Joshua Rubin unlocks the secrets of what makes a story work and then teaches us how to understand and use each principle in our own storytelling.
Rubin, an incisive and no BS teacher, writing consultant, and founder of the Story 27 Studio, expands our understanding of narrative by drilling into examples ranging from Hamlet to The Godfather, Parts I and II, from Harry Potter to an episode of South Park, and unearthing exactly what makes each scene tick. The result is a collection of priceless advice: Escalate Risk, with an example from Pulp Fiction. Write Characters to the Top of Their Intelligence, from the Eminem song "Stan." Explore All Endings, from HBO's The Night Of. Attack Your Theme, from The Brothers Karamazov. Peel the Onion, from Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies. Clash Expectation with Reality, from Breaking Bad. After each principle comes a lesson in how to do it, plus a Mini Final Exam and Related Principles from other sources.
Rubin's writing is the writing we all aspire to: insightful, encouraging, filled with attitude; the examples are relatable, contemporary, and fresh. For writers, storytellers, filmmakers, video game designers, podcasters, writing teachers, and anyone interested in how story works, it's a guide that turns the traditional writing manual on its head, drawing from a world of diverse voices and sources and media. In other words, from where contemporary storytellers find their inspiration.
Synopsis
"So often people ask me if there's a book on story I can recommend. This is the one. I can't recommend it highly enough."--Alexa Junge, writer/producer, Friends, Sex and the City, The West Wing A master class of 27 lessons, drawn from 27 diverse narratives, for novelists, storytellers, filmmakers, graphic designers, and more. Author Daniel Joshua Rubin unlocks the secrets of what makes a story work, and then shows how to understand and use these principles in your own writing. The result is "an invaluable resource" (Publishers Weekly, starred review), offering priceless advice like escalate risk, with an example from Pulp Fiction. Write characters to the top of their intelligence, from the Eminem song "Stan." Earn transformations, from Alison Bechdel's Fun Home. Attack your theme, from The Brothers Karamazov. Insightful, encouraging, filled with attitude, and, as Booklist puts it, "perfect for any writer looking to ensure their stories operate and resonate at the top of their potential," this book gives contemporary storytellers of all kinds a lifeline of inspiration and relatable instruction.
" The] new bible of lessons and practices for creators."--Library Journal
"Not a 'how-to, ' thank God, but a 'here's why.' Writers of all levels of experience will benefit from reading--and then rereading--this elegant exploration of the principles of storytelling."--Traci Letts, Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning playwright
"A godsend for storytellers in all media. It will help you decide what to write and then show you, step by step, how to tackle virtually any problem you face."--Anna D. Shapiro, Tony Award-winning director, August: Osage County