Synopses & Reviews
“A splendid book for journalists (new or old), fiction writers, essayists, and critics. But it could also be of great use to the intelligent common reader, the man or woman who wonders why its impossible to finish reading certain stories and why others carry the reader in a vivid rush to the end.”
—Pete Hamill, author of A Drinking Life
In the spirit of Strunk and Whites classic The Elements of Style, comes The Elements of Story, by Francis Flaherty, longtime story editor at The New York Times. A brilliant blend of memoir and how-to, The Elements of Story offers more than 50 principles that emphasize storytelling aspects rather than simply the mechanics of writing—a relentlessly entertaining, totally accessible writing guide for the novice and the professional alike.
Review
“Frank Flahertys writing guide is fluid, fun and filled with brilliant advice for anybody who wants to improve their work, break into this countrys top newspapers or get a glimpse into an editors mind.” Susan Shapiro, author of Only As Good As Your Word: Writing Lessons from my Favorite Literary Gurus
Review
“Flahertys book will be the classic yardstick for how to grab readers and not let go until they see and hear and think exactly what the author has seen, heard, and thought.” Andre Aciman, author of Call Me By Your Name
Review
“Ailing writers, not to worry. There is a Story Doctor in the house. His name is Frank Flaherty, and his powerful medicine is on every page of The Elements of Story. It belongs on your shelf right there next to that other Elements book.” Roy Peter Clark, author of & #8220;Writing Tools & #8221;
Review
“Frank Flahertys The Elements of Story is a model of good sense, a clear, well-lighted path through the jungle of nonfiction narrative. It represents so much accrued wisdom that even veteran writers will want to keep it on hand, and its fun to read, too.” Luc Sante, author of Low Life
Review
“Frank Flaherty has found the perfect voice to guide writers in creating muscular yet nimble prose. Hes encouraging and friendly (exuberant, even!), assured and wry. A delight to read, The Elements of Story makes me itch to write.” Elizabeth Royte, author of Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash and Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It.
Review
“A virtual Merck Manual for story doctors, filled with insightful diagnoses and effective prescriptions.” William G. Connolly, co-author of The New York Times Style Manual of Style and Usage
Review
“Francis Flaherty has turned his love of writing into a book that will help journalists produce nonfiction that provides life enriching articles that can hold their own against the most imaginative fiction.” Bill Kovach, former managing editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and author of The Elements of Journalism
Synopsis
Most writing books dwell on common issues of style and grammar. Yet most writers also confront complex problems of story design. This fifty-rule guide by Francis Flaherty, a
New York Times editor, offers much-needed solutions and sage advice to address these concerns.
"Sometimes, say things sideways," Flaherty writes. "The reader will be grateful." "White is whitest on black," he observes. "Let contrast work for you." Through such hard-won, story-level insights, sprinkled with examples from real stories and leavened with a good dose of newsroom memoir, The Elements of Story merits a spot on every writer's shelf.
Synopsis
"A splendid book for journalists (new or old), fiction writers, essayists, and critics. But it could also be of great use to the intelligent common reader, the man or woman who wonders why it's impossible to finish reading certain stories and why others carry the reader in a vivid rush to the end."
--Pete Hamill, author of
A Drinking Life
In the spirit of Strunk and White's classic
The Elements of Style, comes
The Elements of Story, by Francis Flaherty, longtime story editor at
The New York Times. A brilliant blend of memoir and how-to,
The Elements of Story offers more than 50 principles that emphasize storytelling aspects rather than simply the mechanics of writing--a relentlessly entertaining, totally accessible writing guide for the novice and the professional alike.
Synopsis
The bulk of writing books address grammar, style, and other line-by-line topics. However, Francis Flaherty believes that complex story-level matters--how to make a story move and how to use description to buttress your theme--pose equally common and far more formidable problems for writing students.
Drawn from Flaherty's long experience at the New York Times, this book shows how Times articles read the way they do. "Sometimes, say things sideways," Flaherty writes. "The reader will be grateful." "White is whitest on black," he observes. "Let contrast work for you." Through these and other hard-won story-level insights, sprinkled with examples from real stories and leavened with a good dose of newsroom memoir, The Elements of Story fills a large gap in the long shelf of writing books.
--Luc Sante, author of Low Life
About the Author
Francis Flaherty has worked for the past 16 years at The New York Times, most recently as deputy editor of the City Section. He has written for Harper's, the Atlantic, Commonwealand the Progressive, and teaches journalism at New York University. Flaherty holds a B.A. from Harvard College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and lives with his wife and two children in Brooklyn, New York.