Masterwork Guide

Bilbo Baggins, an altogether respectable hobbit, had never done anything unexpected-to say nothing of heroic-until he met a wizard in a blue pointed hat. After that meeting, Bilbo embarked upon an adventure, recorded in the pages of The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien that captured the imagination of readers around the world. With unparalleled skill, Tolkien forged scenes of physical courage, revelatory self-transformation, and spiritual transcendence that do more than entertain-they help us make sense of the world. In this Story Grid Masterworks Analysis Guide, Shawn Coyne examines Bilbo's transformation and Tolkien's craft through a powerful new lens, the Heroic Journey 2.0, revealing how stories help us survive, thrive, and find meaning individually and as a species. Using this lens, writers will learn to create the emotional catharsis readers crave and tell stories that cross barriers of time and culture. Bilbo's unexpected journey beautifully illustrates the human imperative to keep going, to break and remake our worldviews in a search for truth. But in the end, readers and writers may agree with Coyne that, "There is no final truth, only the creative act of meaning-making in the here and now."

Open Treasure Island, and you expect to find a thrilling adventure tale of pirates, shipwrecks, and lost booty. But if you join Story Grid writer and editor Leslie Watts in analyzing Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel, you'll also discover timeless lessons about the craft of storytelling. First published in 1883, Treasure Island offers readers irresistible life-or-death stakes and a compelling coming-of-age arc for young hero Jim Hawkins. And, of course, Stevenson introduces the cunning Long John Silver, one of literature's most unforgettable shapeshifting antagonists, complete with wooden leg and parrot. Watts turns the novel itself into a treasure map, following "landmarks of change" to discover how the author fulfills readers' expectations on multiple levels as the characters adapt to an imperfect, often terrifying world. "The way Jim outwits Silver and the other pirates is a useful lesson for life and writing," says Watts. If you're a writer who is serious about your craft, there's no better way to learn to capture, entertain, and enlighten readers than by exploring a masterwork. In this Guide, Leslie Watts shares her map, so climb aboard and let's set sail.

A murder. A master detective. A gathering of suspects. Between the covers of a book or on the big screen, is there anything more compelling than a great crime story? In the expert hands of Agatha Christie-one of the world's bestselling novelists-every crime and every search for justice became a work of art. Story Grid Editor and writing coach Sophie B. Thomas set out to understand Christie's genius for storytelling by dissecting her most acclaimed work, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Thomas follows beloved sleuth Hercule Poirot scene-by-scene to map the structure of Christie's masterpiece, showing writers how the book fulfills all its readers' expectations before ambushing them with an unexpected ending. What are the must-have moments in every mystery, and how does Christie pull them off in such an innovative way? What made the book's narrative device so revolutionary? How does a great writer sustain narrative drive from page one to the ending payoff? Thomas brings expertise and passion for the writer's craft to her analysis as she answers all these questions and more. All the clues are there. Are you ready to begin the investigation?