The Daily Stoic

Robert Mckee on the Power of Storytelling

Oct 5, 2022

Robert McKee, a renowned screenwriting lecturer and author of "Action: The Art of Excitement," shares his insights on the power of storytelling. He discusses the necessity of conflict and change in engaging narratives, emphasizing that effective stories must reflect life's complexities. McKee critiques mundane storytelling and advocates for authenticity, urging creators to embrace the reality of struggles. He explores the interplay between action and moral dilemmas, revealing how well-crafted narratives can transform audiences and convey profound truths.

01:08:04

Episode guests

Robert McKee

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

2min

The Necessity of Conflict in Storytelling

2min

The Importance of No-Frills Storytelling

4min

The Struggle of Authentic Storytelling

16min

The Art of Storytelling in Philosophy

3min

The Power of Action in Storytelling

25min

Legacy and the Art of Storytelling

16min

The Paradox of Originality and Timeless Storytelling

2min

Ryan talks to Robert Mckee about his new book Action: The Art of Excitement for Screen, Page, and Game, the importance of showing not telling, how to tell a great story, and more.

Robert McKee is the most sought after screenwriting lecturer around the globe. He has dedicated the last 30 years to educating and mentoring screenwriters, novelists, playwrights, poets, documentary makers, producers, and directors internationally. Robert’s articles on Story have also appeared in hundreds of newspapers and magazines around the world including Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker Magazine, and more. He continues to be a project consultant to major film and television production companies such as 20th Century Fox, Disney, Paramount, & MTV. For more information, you can visit hismwebsite, which we have in the show notes.

📕 Ryan Holiday's new book "Discipline Is Destiny" is out now! We’ve extended the pre-order bonuses for the next week—among them is a signed and numbered page from the original manuscript of the book. You can learn more about those and how to receive them over at Dailystoic.com/preorder.

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