Therefore the first part of this book takes up the problems of technique in the order in which they pre sent themselves to the writer. Beginning with mat ters of conception, the discussion passes to matters of construction and development, and finally to matters of execution, or rather the writing of a story consid ered as a bare chain of events. Then the matters of description, dialogue, the portrayal of character, and the precipitation of atmosphere are discussed, and lastly the short story and novel, as distinct forms, are taken up.