27 Essential Principles of Story, Daniel Joshua Rubin
27 Essential Principles of Story, Daniel Joshua Rubin
List: $31.99 | Sale: $22.40
Club: $15.99

27 Essential Principles of Story
Master the Secrets of Great Storytelling, from Shakespeare to South Park

Author: Daniel Joshua Rubin

Narrator: Daniel Joshua Rubin

Unabridged: 13 hr 4 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/18/2020


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 audiobook 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

 
 

Reviews

Goodreads review by Ell on January 19, 2020

This is hands down the best writing reference I have ever read! The 27 essential principles are presented in a clear, concise and conversational style. But perhaps, more importantly, the examples and homework provided hit the lessons home, increasing your writing skills. Five stars!......more

Goodreads review by Flybyreader on April 06, 2020

Before reading this amazingly informative book on writing stories, I thought successful authors are poked by some kind of divine power, get inspired and start typing. What I did not know was that behind every successful story there is a set of systematic rules and equations which lead to victory. I l......more

Goodreads review by Kayti on April 16, 2020

This is such a brilliant resource! Outside of reading, I'm also a writer and studied creative writing at the Master level. I can confidently say the content in this book rivals higher-education material and fast-tracks lessons graduate professors spend entire terms teaching. I especially appreciate......more

Goodreads review by Amit on March 01, 2020

When I took hold of this one, I wondered why it was so thick. It is about writing story and that cannot be so long and so complex. I started with fearful thoughts of wasting too much time on it. But surprisingly it was very easy to read. It tells basic principles that masters use. To describe that there......more

Goodreads review by Leah on December 31, 2022

If you're a writer or want to be - this is a fantastic craft book! Even with my MFA, I gained so much and I love the way Rubin explains and illustrates concepts! I liked this book so much that after listening to the audio book (Libro.fm) I went and bought the hard copy too for reference and re-readi......more


Quotes

"This is the straight dope—all the tools you need to craft a hell of a great story." —Paul Giamatti, actor

"Rubin, a playwright and TV scriptwriter, aims with this manual to give writers “enough direction to avoid getting lost, but not so much that it strangles your creativity,” and succeeds in creating an invaluable resource... This is a no-brainer for both pro and would-be novelists."
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Seasoned multimedia writer Rubin (NBC, the WB) injects the traditional writing manual with an overdue fix of dash and utility... This new bible of lessons and practices for creators across media will likely appeal to readers curious about behind-the-scenes realities of those who bring to life today’s most popular and intelligent entertainment."
Library Journal

"Perfect for any writer looking to ensure their stories operate and resonate at the top of their potential."
Booklist