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

"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

Author: Daniel Joshua Rubin
Publisher: Workman Publishing
Published: 08/18/2020
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 8.90h x 5.90w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9781523507160


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 04/01/2020 pg. 106
Publishers Weekly 04/06/2020
Kirkus Reviews 05/15/2020
Booklist 05/15/2020 pg. 8

About the Author
Rubin, Daniel Joshua: - 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 theater (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. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now lives in Evanston, IL.