
Transcribed from the 1905 Chatto & Windus edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org
ON SOME TECHNICAL ELEMENTS OF STYLE IN LITERATURE
THE MORALITY OF THE PROFESSION OF LETTERS
BOOKS WHICH HAVE INFLUENCED ME
A NOTE ON REALISM
MY FIRST BOOK: ‘TREASURE ISLAND’
THE GENESIS OF ‘THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE’
PREFACE TO ‘THE MASTER OF BALLANTRAE’
FOOTNOTES
In this thoughtful collection, the author turns his keen eye to the mechanics of storytelling and the responsibilities that come with the written word. The essays wander from the technicalities of style—how a writer selects and arranges words like bricks in a mosaic—to more personal topics such as the books that shaped his imagination and the moral obligations of the literary profession. Early chapters also reminisce about the birth of his famous adventure tales, giving listeners a rare glimpse into the creative spark behind those stories.
The prose is lively and peppered with vivid analogies, comparing the writer’s toolbox to a sculptor’s clay or a musician’s drum. Readers are invited to consider why certain word choices resonate, how realism can be balanced with imagination, and what it means to craft a narrative that both entertains and endures. Whether you are an aspiring author or simply curious about the art of language, the essays offer clear, engaging observations that illuminate the hidden gears of literature.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (120K characters)
Release date
1996-04-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1850–1894
Known for unforgettable tales of adventure and divided selves, this Scottish writer brought both restless imagination and real-world travel into his fiction. His books still feel lively, suspenseful, and surprisingly modern.
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