Beating the Story:
Structure and Story Beat Class
Are you
• A writer with a lot of good ideas who’s never finished a book?
• A screenwriter with finished screenplays that are either WAY too long or just not selling?
• A new writer who doesn’t even know where to begin?
• An author working on rewrites who knows the work has problems but isn't sure how to fix it?
Structure is Your Friend
What’s the toughest job an author faces? Most authors say it’s completing what they started. Ideas abound. Characters live in your head and talk to you. You tell family members what you’re planning and the response is the same: that’s a great idea. Write it.
Then, those first few chapters get written, you’ve bought every screenplay book ever published, you’re really flying - and all of a sudden, nothing.
Deep down, authors know the problem. The foundation of the whole work is not there. Characters are not story. World-building is not story. Story is story, and stories, at their soul, have structure.
But I’m a “Pantser” not a “Plotter”
Pantsers write “by the seat of their pants.” (Hence the name!) Plotters, well, plot.
Pantsers are the “real” writers, and plotters want to be pantsers when they grow up.
Pantsers allow their stories to emerge “organically,” magical and creative. Plotters are chained to their outlines, dull and boring.
Pantsers typically start with characters and want to allow their characters to tell THEM the story.
Does this work? Unfortunately, not for most people most of the time. Putting it another way, you maybe could build a house without a blueprint, without a foundation, but why would you want to?
“Beating the Story” answers that question.
All strong stories hit “beats” at defined intervals. All beats introduce conflict and move the story along, and this is a universal truth. It doesn’t matter if your story is a completed screenplay, a novel in progress, or a non fiction memoir. On some level the structure of story beats need to be there as a foundation. Can they change? Yes. Can they move? Yes. Do people often see that what they thought was the midpoint of the book should actually be the turning point of Act One? YES YES YES. But a writer can’t see any of these things until they start. And an author that won’t start almost never finishes the book.
“Beating the Story” is a four session class, taught over eight weeks, with one week off between each class. Each class is live, two hours long, giving eight hours total instruction, and each cohort is limited to six participants. In addition, each participant gets one half hour private one on one with instructor between weeks 1 and 2 and a second between weeks 3 and 4.
Participants will be asked to watch one movie and do at least one hour of guided homework on their own projects in each off week. Through a series of guided worksheets and analysis spreadsheets, authors will drill down to their core structures and move forward with a better understanding of next steps.
Stop being frustrated and get your story finished!
Understand why your first draft just isn't engaging your beta readers and do your second draft rewrites with confidence!
Plan your memoir in such a way that it tells YOUR story but still engages the reader!
Pare down that 150 page screenplay to a lean mean 100 pages!
SUMMARY:
Who it's for:
Open to authors of both fiction and nonfiction books
Also welcomes screenwriters
Class structure:
Offered six times a year, alternating between evenings Eastern Time, and Sundays at noon Eastern time.
Each session runs for 8 weeks, with FOUR meetings.
Skips one week between each class (i.e., meets every other week)
Classes are live via video call (Cameras are optional)
Includes one half-hour private one-on-one with the instructor the week following the first class session AND one half-hour private one-on-one with the instructor the week preceding the last class session.
Expectations:
This is a real class with assignments to complete during off weeks
Students are encouraged to engage with their cohort, and you will be expected to share information about your project with the group.
Goal:
Provide each student with real answers to why a current project needs help and concrete solutions for moving forward.
Teach lessons that can be applied to future projects.
Cost & capacity:
$300 for the full 4-class, group session (including 2 private one-on-ones)
Limited to 6 participants per group