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Cover of Essays in the Art of Writing

Language & Communication · Essays

Essays in the Art of Writing

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Stevenson on prose style, literary ethics, realism and the making of fiction.

2 hr estimatedB2–C1 Linden levelRead now availability8 chapters
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Overview

About this book

Stevenson examines style, literary ethics, realism and the making of several of his books. The essays offer a working writer’s account of sound, structure, imitation and artistic responsibility rather than a step-by-step manual.

First published
1905
Language
English
Copyright status
Public domain

English level

B2–C1 · Deep reading

Essays in the Art of Writing is calibrated from 21,801 sampled words across 8 chapters: sentences average 30.5 words, 54.4% exceed 24 words and 7.6% of words are nine letters or longer.

Explore the B2–C1 level →

Sentence rhythm

What the prose asks

Extended sentences averaging 30.5 words, with 27.7% reaching 40 words or more

Vocabulary

What may slow you down

7.6% of sampled words contain nine or more letters and about 2.75 marked archaic terms per thousand words; names and period vocabulary still vary by chapter

Reading rhythm

One sitting

A few long sections make advance stopping points useful. About 4 calm 30-minute sessions.

Suggested approach

Read with momentum

Read in planned sessions and keep short notes on voice, structure and recurring images

Best starting point

Begin with chapter one

The full text is ready with speech, lookup and saved progress.

CEFR-aligned Linden estimate · high confidence · sampled full text · Calibrated 2026-09-08 · Provisional, not an exam certification.

Table of contents

8 chapters

  1. 01Essays in the Art of Writing · Part I13 min
  2. 02Essays in the Art of Writing · Part II12 min
  3. 03Essays in the Art of Writing · Part III16 min
  4. 04Essays in the Art of Writing · Part IV13 min
  5. 05Essays in the Art of Writing · Part V14 min
  6. 06Essays in the Art of Writing · Part VI14 min
  7. 07Essays in the Art of Writing · Part VII13 min
  8. 08Essays in the Art of Writing · Part VIII4 min
Portrait of Robert Louis Stevenson

Related author

Robert Louis Stevenson

A Scottish novelist, essayist and poet whose clear narrative surfaces often conceal difficult questions about loyalty and divided character.

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