Draft No. 4

On the Writing Process

By: John McPhee

Narrated by: John McPhee

The long-awaited guide to writing long-form nonfiction by the legendary author and teacher.

Draft No. 4 is an elucidation of the writer's craft by a master practitioner. In a series of playful but expertly wrought essays, John McPhee shares insights he's gathered over his career and refined during his long-running course at Princeton University, where he has launched some of the most esteemed writers of several generations. McPhee offers a definitive guide to the crucial decisions regarding structure, diction, and tone that shape nonfiction pieces and presents extracts from some of his best-loved work, subjecting them to wry scrutiny. The result is a vivid depiction of the writing process, from reporting to drafting to revising - and revising, and revising.

More than a compendium of advice, Draft No. 4 is enriched by personal detail 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. Enlivened by his keen sense of writing as a way of being in the world, Draft No. 4 is the long-awaited master class given by America's most renowned writing instructor.

©2017 John McPhee (P)2017 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"McPhee delivers a fine performance of this master class in nonfiction writing." (AudioFile)

Useful tips for non-fiction writing

Enjoyable blending of personal stories with take home messages to improve one’s writing . Pragmatic & sage advice

Unsurpassable

Unsurpassable, irresistible, packed with direct and implied lessons of immediate and long-range benefit to writers of all abilities and genres, but especially non-fiction.

McPhee is the Craft

"It is possible in managing a quote--not to say manipulating a quote--to present something that is both verbatim and false."
- John McPhee, Draft No. 4


John McPhee is a God. Not a minor deity either. A big "G" god. He isn't just good at the craft of writing nonfiction, he is the craft. Or at least that is how he seems. This perception, this read, of John McPhee only grows the more of his books, articles, etc., the reader consumes. You don't have to be passionate about geology. It is OK. McPhee is. You don't have to care about oranges. McPhee does. What happens is his writing, his interests, his ability to construct a story from the perfect characters and the right place transforms not just the object of McPhee's interest, but the reader. Am I sounding too passionate about this man? Well, of course I'm passionate. I love to read and John McPhee contains multitudes.

Not only is he the Master at the New Yorker, but he has for years (probably since I was near tit) taught writing at Princeton (where he went to school). Can you imagine? Seriously, if I could chose between a $1 million and the ability to audit his course on Creative Nonfiction (JRN 240/CWR 240), I might just say F-it to the money. He has nurtured readers and writers for years. Some of the direct fruit of the McPhee tree include:

- David Remnick (now his editor at the New Yorker)
- Richard Stengel (managing editor of Time magazine)
- Jim Kelly (former managing editor of Time)
- Robert Wright (former senior editor at The New Republic)
- Jennifer Weiner

And many, many more including at least two of his daughters (Jenny and Martha). He really is the godfather (or at least one of the godfathers) of New New Journalism. In an age when good writing seems to be as rare as good readers (dammit, I should probably scratch that pun, too easy), it is nice to read about the craftsmanship of writing from one of the masters.

'Draft No. 4: On the Writing Process' collects eight essays on writing that McPhee has published in the New Yorker (McPhee's home since before I was born). They are:

Progression - 11/14/2014
Structure - 01/14/2013
Editors & Publisher - 07/02/2012
Elicitation - 04/07/2014
Frame of Reference - 03/09/2015
Checkpoints - 02/09/2009
Draft No. 4 - 04/29/2013
Omission - 09/14/2014

Loved It!

In Draft No. 4, I loved the whole book, but my favorite chapters were Structure and Omission.

Just for the Obsessives and Completists (like me)

This is real inside baseball for the McPhee obsessives and I thought it was excellent. I am glad that he went into such detail with his process and the evolution of his creative process and the journalistic field.
This is definitely not the first McPhee you want to read. Start with Oranges and then read every one after that and finish on this one. It'll take about a year and it'll be great.

Fantastic

Whether you are, or are not familiar with the works of John McPhee, this book is a masterclass on the process of decision making, compilation, and storytelling. Pulling from an amazing life's worth of material, the explanation of what goes into a piece of writing is phenomenal.
I was recommending it to friends before I was even halfway through.

I'll listen to this many more times.

Hated that it ended. Great writing tips. I think I'm in love with Mrs. Gould

A Gift

I am constantly looking for tools to help me sort out my work. I also learn best from stories. Writing well is a lifelong effort and this book with its illustrative story telling describes and demonstrates. A joy to read. What did I miss? I’ll read again.

Real stories about real people

Every minute awesome. Great stories in a how to and how not to masterclass. Thanks John McPhee!

classic

Insightful book, extremely informative and helpful for any aspiring writer. would recommend hard copy over audio !