The long-awaited guide to writing long-form nonfiction by the legendary author and teacher Draft No. 4 is a master class on the writer’s craft. In a series of playful, expertly wrought essays, John McPhee shares insights he has gathered over his career and has refined while teaching at Princeton University, where he has nurtured some of the most esteemed writers of recent decades. McPhee offers definitive guidance in the decisions regarding arrangement, diction, and tone that shape nonfiction pieces, and he presents extracts from his work, subjecting them to wry scrutiny. In one essay, he considers the delicate art of getting sources to tell you what they might not otherwise reveal. In another, he discusses how to use flashback to place a bear encounter in a travel narrative while observing that “readers are not supposed to notice the structure. It is meant to be about as visible as someone’s bones.” The result is a vivid depiction of the writing process, from reporting to drafting to revising—and revising, and revising. Draft No. 4 is enriched by multiple diagrams and by personal anecdotes and charming reflections on the life of a writer. McPhee describes his enduring relationships with The New Yorker and Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and recalls his early years at Time magazine. Throughout, Draft No. 4 is enlivened by his keen sense of writing as a way of being in the world.

The long-awaited guide to writing long-form nonfiction by the legendary author and teacher Draft No. 4 is a master class on the writer’s craft. In a series of playful, expertly wrought essays, John McPhee shares insights he has gathered over his career and has refined while teaching at Princeton University, where he has nurtured some of the most esteemed writers of recent decades. McPhee offers definitive guidance in the decisions regarding arrangement, diction, and tone that shape nonfiction pieces, and he presents extracts from his work, subjecting them to wry scrutiny. In one essay, he considers the delicate art of getting sources to tell you what they might not otherwise reveal. In another, he discusses how to use flashback to place a bear encounter in a travel narrative while observing that “readers are not supposed to notice the structure. It is meant to be about as visible as someone’s bones.” The result is a vivid depiction of the writing process, from reporting to drafting to revising—and revising, and revising. Draft No. 4 is enriched by multiple diagrams and by personal anecdotes and charming reflections on the life of a writer. McPhee describes his enduring relationships with The New Yorker and Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and recalls his early years at Time magazine. Throughout, Draft No. 4 is enlivened by his keen sense of writing as a way of being in the world.

The long-awaited guide to writing long-form nonfiction by the legendary author and teacher. Draft No. 4 is a master class on the writer’s craft. John McPhee shares insights he has gathered over his long career, and has refined while teaching at Princeton University, where he has nurtured some of the most highly regarded writers of our time. He discusses structure, diction and tone, observing that ‘readers are not supposed to notice the structure. It is meant to be about as visible as someone’s bones’. This book is a vivid depiction of the writing process, from reporting to drafting to revising—and revising and revising. Draft No. 4 is enriched by personal reflections on the life of a writer. McPhee recalls his early years at Time magazine, and describes his enduring relationships with the New Yorker and with his publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Everything in this luminous book is enlivened by his keen sense of writing as a way of being in the world. John McPhee is a staff writer at The New Yorker. He is the author of thirty-two books. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey and is a recipient of the Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award. ‘Draft No. 4 belongs on the short shelf of essential books about the craft.’ Wall Street Journal ‘Matchless teaching from a master of the form—seductive, trustworthy and endearingly modest.’ Helen Garner ‘A master class in writing ... Almost every sentence sparkles ... A superb book.’ Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ‘Eight crisply instructive and drolly self-deprecating essays [are] gathered here in this exceptionally entertaining and illuminating book ... [Draft No. 4] is expert, charming, and invigorating.’ Donna Seaman, Booklist ‘McPhee has set the standard for the genre of creative nonfiction ... With humor and aplomb, he recalls anecdotes about how he approached a story: from interviewing and reporting to drafting and revising, to working with editors and publishers ... A well-wrought road map to navigating the twists and turns, thrills and pitfalls, and joys and sorrows of the writer’s journey.’ Donna Marie Smith, Library Journal ‘[Draft No. 4 is] not a general how-to-do-it manual but a personal how-I-did-it of richer depth—not bouillon cubes, but rich stock ... McPhee lays it all out with the wit of one who believes that ‘writing has to be fun at least once in a pale blue moon.’ Publishers Weekly ‘A marvellous new book...A fascinating book for anyone interested in writing.’ Australian ‘Anyone aspiring to make a living from writing long-form journalism or literary non-fiction should read this book, absorb its lessons on the art of crafting clear and compelling prose, and then accept that the professional world McPhee was lucky enough to inhabit is now gone.’ Scotsman

Whether he is evoking the blind carnage of the Tet offensive, the theatrics of his fellow Americans, or the unraveling of his own illusions, Wolff brings to this work the same uncanny eye for detail, pitiless candor and mordant wit that made This Boy's Life a modern classic.

"Brilliant, time-tested and clear" advice that will help writers at all stages, in all genres, write their very best book-and then make it better. As a freelance editor for more than a decade, Williams has shepherded books from rough draft to polished manuscripts bought by Big Five houses, university and literary presses, and for independent publishers. Now, she distills everything she's learned from editing hundreds of drafts, coaching writers past creative blocks, and navigating authors through querying and publication, into this useful guide for every step from idea to book. Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro from Blank Page to Book divides writing and revision into distinct stages, with a new focus in each draft. Williams' frank, funny voice encourages writers to tackle even big editing tasks with a sense of humor and a feeling that someone who understands is on their side. With plenty of fresh examples, insider wisdom, and snappy footnotes, Seven Drafts teaches story, character, elements of writing craft and structure, how to seek and use feedback, and the publication process.

Academic writing is difficult, and Final Draft gives students all the tools they need. Writing skills and in-depth analysis of models set the stage for development. Corpus-based vocabulary, collocations, and phrases, as well as detailed information on the grammar of writing, prepare your learners for college writing courses. Students learn to avoid plagiarism in every chapter of every level. This dedicated, long-term focus on plagiarism avoidance helps ensure that these students are able to use sources and highlight their own thoughts.

How do you write a book? Stuart Horwitz helps you do it in three drafts. Three drafts: that's all you need. - The messy draft: which is all about getting it down. - The method draft: which is all about making sense. - The polished draft: which is all about making it good. Finish Your Book in Three Drafts is for outliners who meticulously script every writing session and pantsers who pilot solely by feel. It will help you get past the fear that can land a first draft in the trashcan, and the confusion that can send a second draft into a dizzying tailspin. Because you don't want to be writing the same book for the rest of your life. You can Finish Your Book in Three Drafts provided you approach each draft in the right spirit, and know what action steps to take between drafts. With clarity, honesty, humor, and even videos, Horwitz discusses the best outlook and direction for each of the three drafts so that you can increase your efficiency, satisfaction, and engagement with both your writing process and your final product.