Story Grid Writers' Room

Get busy living or busy dying when the editors chip away at dialogue in The Shawshank Redemption. This 1994 film was written and directed by Frank Darabont, based on Stephen King’s Novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a film as an example of a significant story principle. The rest of us explore different aspects of the principle so we can all understand it better. Click here for the full show notes.

All aboard the murder train! This week, the Roundtablers set off from Istanbul with Hercule Poirot and a star-studded cast to review Murder on the Orient Express. This 1974 classic, based on Agatha Christie’s 1934 novel, was written by Paul Dehn and directed by Sidney Lumet. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a film as an example of a significant story principle. The rest of us explore different aspects of the principle so we can all understand it better. Click here for the full show notes.

Yo ho! The conventions of the Action story sail into port this week as Leslie invites us to examine Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. This 2003 comedy-horror-action movie was written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and directed by Gore Verbinski, based on the ride at Disneyland. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a film as an example of a significant story principle. The rest of us explore different aspects of the principle so we can all understand it better. Click here for the full show notes.

Things get really complicated this week as Anne pitches Cloud Atlas so we can all study complex nested story form. This 2012 film was written and directed by Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski and Tom Tykwer, based on the 2004 novel by David Mitchell. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a film as an example of a significant story principle. The rest of us explore different aspects of the principle so we can all understand it better. Click here for the full show notes.

It’s 20 minutes of brain-changing inspiration this time as Anne brings you a bite-size episode on how the Story Grid spreadsheet helped her write a better novel. Here on the Roundtable we're dedicated to helping you become a better writer, following the Story Grid method developed by Shawn Coyne. In these bite-size episodes we bring you some shorter solo articles and interviews on topics that interest us as writers. Click here for the full show notes.

Leslie and Anne’s Story Grid Investigation Team has been on the case, and today we uncover Essential Action, a great tool for evaluating the conflict in your scenes. Here on the Roundtable we're dedicated to helping you become a better writer, following the Story Grid method developed by Shawn Coyne. In these bite-size episodes we bring you some shorter solo articles and interviews on topics that interest us as writers. Click here for the full show notes.

Here’s a preview of the winning hand of stories the Roundtablers are getting ready to bring you in Season 4. Join us for Episode 0, where Anne, Kim, Valerie, Jarie and Leslie each reveal their first movie of the season and talk about why they chose it, and how they hope studying it will help them in their own writing. Click here for the full show notes.

It’s 20 minutes of deep insight this time as Kim Kessler and Leslie Watts bring you a bite-size episode on internal genres. Here on the Roundtable we're dedicated to helping you become a better writer, following the Story Grid method developed by Shawn Coyne. In these bite-size episodes, we’ll serve up some shorter discussion on topics that interest us as writers. Click here for the full show notes.

Writers struggling with the shift from nonfiction to fiction explore the concept of 'fiction freeze.' The importance of emotional engagement over mere information is highlighted, emphasizing how resonant details enchant readers. Analyzing 'A Little Princess,' the discussion focuses on character values and narrative dynamics. The challenges of adapting to new realities are examined through a young girl's emotional journey. Finally, listeners learn how to balance engaging details with story structure to captivate their audience.

We wind up Season 3 with another episode of Story Grid 101. Each of the Roundtable Editors is tackling one of the Story Grid Five Commandments for a deep dive into the fundamental structure of scene, act, and global story, using the Pixar animated feature, Coco as our model. This 2017 family favorite was written by Lee Unkrich, Jason Katz, Matthew Aldrich and Adrian Molina. Each week the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—examine a specific story principle within the context of a movie. Click here for the full show notes.