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.
Daniel Joshua Rubin is a multimedia writer and founder of Story 27 in Evanston, Illinois, a writing studio that provides consulting and education to storytellers in all media. He has taught dramatic writing at Loyola University in Chicago, and at the University of California, San Diego, and has written for television (NBC, the WB); new media (The Motley Fool, National Lampoon); and theatre (with plays produced at Steppenwolf in Chicago, off-Broadway in NYC, and on the West End of London). He is a dedicated story scholar with a deep interest the role narrative plays in personal development, business, investing and politics. Rubin has an MFA in Playwriting from the Yale School of Drama, and a BS in Drama Studies from the State University of New York at Purchase.
Title: 27 Essential Principles of Story: Master the Secrets of Great Storytelling, from Shakespeare to South Park
Author: Rubin, Joshua, Daniel
ISBN: 9781523507160
Binding:
Publisher: Workman Publishing
Publication Date: 2020-09-01
Number of Pages: 384
Weight: 0.5201 kg
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