5 thinkers, books, and ideas connected to this field.
George Saunders's 2021 book based on his Syracuse MFA course — using seven classic Russian short stories (Chekhov, Turgenev, Tolstoy, Gogol) to teach fiction writing — covering narrative velocity, escalation, and the moment-to-moment decisions that make stories work.
The Moth's 2022 guide to personal storytelling — distilling 25 years of live storytelling expertise into practical guidance for crafting and performing personal narratives.
American comedian and actor — co-creator of Seinfeld (1989–1998, the most commercially successful TV comedy in history) — whose commitment to the craft of standup comedy (he has performed 80+ dates annually for 45 years) is the most documented example of creative discipline in comedy.
Stephen King's 2000 part-memoir, part-writing guide — combining an autobiography of his early life with practical advice on the craft of fiction — the most widely read and recommended book on writing craft.
Substack newsletter exploring urbanism, architecture, craft, and the relationship between how we build and how we live.