7 Quotes from John McPhee on the Writing Process
the master of creative non-fiction spills all in his latest book, Draft №4
Creative non-fiction and its sister, literary journalism, have thrived in popular literature since the days of Joan Didion and her incisive inquiries into the kaleidoscope world of 1960s California.
Writers such as Susan Orlean, Joseph Mitchell, and John McPhee are just a few of the heavyweights who have made non-fiction writing the art form that it is today.
I recently finished reading John McPhee’s Draft №4, a book brimming forth with insights into the life and methods of a master journalist. Here are seven of the best pieces of wisdom I took away from it.
1. “Ideas are where you find them.”
Ideas, the precious miracles that they are, do not occur in isolation (lucky for us.) Similar to David Lynch’s theory of small ideas acting as bait for bigger ideas down the road, McPhee strongly supports the practice of going into the space of an idea and exploring every corner of the room.
Perhaps your idea is a quote, either fictional or taken from real life. Who said it? And under what circumstances? What’s the subtext? And what might you learn from the quote that will aid your understanding of this person?
And so forth.
2. “Your last piece is never going to write your next one for you. Square 1 does not become Square 2, just Square 1 squared and cubed.”
A hard truth all writers must accept at some point. Rather than focusing on the past, with its triumphs and mistakes in equal measure, a writer should always have the bow of her ship pointed toward the future.
Opportunities and every manner of dream realized lie just beyond the horizon line.
3. “Readers are not supposed to notice the structure. It is meant to be about as visible as someone’s bones.”
McPhee is a major proponent of structuring a piece of writing ahead of time. The structure of a story should be three things: invisible, meaningful, and strategic.
Invisible: the structure doesn’t draw attention to itself. It isn’t showy or clever or cute.
Meaningful: the structure lends meaning to the writing and vice versa.
Strategic: if planned correctly, the structure of a piece gets you to your endpoint on the quickest, most expedient route possible.
4. “You wade around in your notes, getting nowhere. You don’t see a pattern. You don’t know what to do. So stop everything. Stop looking at the notes. Hunt through your mind for a good beginning. Then write it. Write a lead… You find your lead, you build your structure, you are now free to write.”
Whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction, it’s always prudent to have a solid thesis before you start wading through the murky depths of a new piece. Having your lead, or your central idea, at the forefront of your mind will help you to navigate the unknown with confidence.
5. “Though a man be more prone and able for one kind of writing than another, yet he must exercise all.”
This quote is actually attributed to the playwright Ben Jonson, but McPhee considers it to be excellent advice to all writers, especially those just getting their start. You don’t know your own strengths until you’ve tried a little bit of everything.
If you’re a poet, give non-fiction a shot. If you love writing prose, try writing a play. Who knows? You might find your new favorite form, and at the very least, you’ll have a new perspective from which to approach your preferred writing style.
6. “Writing is a matter strictly of developing oneself. You compete only with yourself. You develop yourself by writing. An editor’s goal is to help writers make the most of the patterns that are unique to them.”
Practice, practice, practice! It’s the only way to improve. Good editors will polish and highlight what’s best about your work without rearranging things to suit their own style.
7. “Writing has to be fun at least once in a pale blue moon.”
And the most important thing above all, as hackneyed as it sounds — remember to enjoy the process, even when the going gets tough! Writing is a near constant uphill battle, but lean into what brings you joy and the journey will be just as sweet as the destination.
I hope you found these little bits of wisdom useful (I know I certainly did.) It’s always illuminating to hear what the masters of the craft have to say about their own processes.
I wish you the best of luck with your own writing. Go forth and conquer the blank page!
