Heather Haggerty and Nanou Matteson are a superteam of film producers who brought us the recent award-winning comedy starring Rita Moreno and previous Story Makers podcast guest Steve Goldbloom. Their film East Side Sushi has also had remarkable success. We dig into the creative side of marketing your art and its connection to your values, about when and how to consider your audience, about keeping your budget small and your quality high. We talked about creating a fictional world and about the importance of the look of a film in conveying story. They discussed the mistake of writing off an elderly character or assuming a character has to be the race, gender or sexual identity they start of being in a script. We got into subtext, and when being “on the nose” can be useful, the pleasures and practice of collaboration, the structure for an outline or story templates, and their uses and shortcomings, and the importance of transformation.

Links:

The Visual Story

Save The Cat

Film Specific, Stacey Parks

Steve Goldbloom

Anthony Lucero

Saudi Arabian film, Wadjda

The film, Brooklyn

The Lives of Others

Lindsay Doran's Three Rules

Mira Nair director of Monsoon Wedding Masala

Mike Mills film, Beginners

Cocktail, Jean Cocteau

Pixar Storytelling Template:

Once upon a time there was ___.

Every day, ___.

One day ___.

Because of that, ___.

Because of that, ___.

Until finally ___.

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

We had a lively and important conversation with author, publisher and literary curator Peg Alford Pursell, about the publishing landscape and how writers can successfully interact with it. Peg, who runs the popular reading series Why There Are Words, is launching an independent press with the same name. Starting with craft, we discussed forming a collection of stories as and after individual stories are produced, finding echoes, juxtapositions and correspondences between stories, and seeing new correspondences "that I had not imagined." We talked about the way that the objects in the story carry emotional weight, tone, and do a lot of characterization. We also dug into what readers bring to a book, the fine line between mystery or intuition and intention in shaping your story, and the way that embracing the possibility the impossibility of objectivity allows her to release the work out into the world. She also probed the troubled area of letting go of your work--when and how to release it to the world, with a detailed look at the process of revision. Then we get her to switch hats and talk about the same issues from the point of view of the editor as she prepares to watch her own imprint and in her long history of curating the acclaimed reading series Why There are Words. Peg pointed out that profit and loss sheets are driving corporate publishing, and Angie drew parallels to the Hollywood studio system and its shortcomings. We talk very concretely about the amount of work it takes to get a manuscript ready to go out into the world, and how to know when you're merely saturated, and when you're actually done. Given the current playing field, should new authors shift their strategies for getting published? We got advice as well on starting a reading series, the pleasures and pitfalls, about publicists, publicity and self-promotion for authors (what you need to know), and then, circling back to writing, we touched on the art of compression and sensing the ending, since Peg writes some very short flash fiction.  WTAW Press will be opening for book-length prose submissions June 15, 2016. "I want those voices that need to be heard. Please let people know that." -- Peg Alford Pursell

Links:

Ariel

Ariel: The Restored Edition, a Facsimile of Plath's Manuscript, Reinstating Her Original Selection and Arrangement

Margaret the First

 Margaret the First published by Catapult Press

Dorothy A Publishing Project

Michael Ondaatje

Why There Are Words reading series

WTAW Press

Graywolf editor interview on Literary Hub

The Rumpus essay Elizabeth cited

The Sun essay Elizabeth cited

http://www.wtawpress.org/

https://www.facebook.com/wtawpress/?fref=ts

https://whytherearewords.com/

https://www.facebook.com/WhyThereAreWords/?fref=ts

http://www.pegalfordpursell.com/

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

My conversation with Angie Powers, co-host of Story Makers Show, began with the process and pleasure of telling yourself a story. We discussed what she did and did not get from her MFA program, including an understanding of structure and revision, which led us into the art of revision and the relationship between revision and planning or structure. There is a balance between finding the story as you go and outlining the story for yourself. We talked about finding that balance even within the process of outlining. Also discussed: the secret to writing and where not to look for it, the art of simplifying, the benefits of small, concrete work goals, specificity and subtext, and the questions, large and small, that  keep your reader interested from one story turn to the next. Angie lays out a seven-step structure for story in a quick overview and explains why the seven steps are not a formula and what made Angie overcome her resistance and embrace them as a tool that helps her tell stories.

Links:

The Art of Fiction

Middlesex

Jesus' Son

Citizen

Royal Institute of Magic Series

The Da Vinci Code

Screenplay

HBO TV Series Girls by Lena Dunham

Angie Powers

Book Writing World

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

We had such a rich and helpful conversation with the multitalented Janis Cooke Newman, author of memoir and novels, editor of the newly launched Technically Literate column of fictional short stories on CNET, and leader of LitCamp. We talked about the isolation of writing and ways to undercut that. We delved into the great origin stories of her books--where to find inspiration and what makes an idea a good one. We delved into craft, from the necessity of writing dialogue and the scenes in memoir to the differences between plotting a memoir and a novel to the way a character who really want something provides an unbeatable engine for your book. We talked about how she curates and edits the contributors to Technically Literate, and the intersection of technology and the literature in the bay area and Silicon Valley/San Francisco. Other topics include: the art and struggle of the letting go of pages that are no longer necessary to the work, the experience of being edited, letting your readers worry about your characters for longer to create tension and suspense and to raise the stakes, the need for clear objectives for your characters with measurable results, how to interweave multiple points of view in a book, the benefits of narrative distance, of the narrator having some perspective on the events being described, and more. So much inspiration!

Links:

A Master Plan For Rescue

Mary

The Last Flight of Poxl West

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

The Anatomy of Story

 Lit Camp 

Lit Quake

Squaw Valley Writers Conference

Alexander Chee

Michelle Richmond

Janis Cooke Newman

Twitter: @Janice Newman

Lit camp

Technically Literate

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

We had a far-ranging conversation with the multi-talented author of the trilogy The Wolf Chronicles, professional developmental and acquisitions editor and now, first-time screenplay writer Dorothy Hearst. She shared how her ideas and inspirations arrive and develop, how science can thicken a plot, negative self-talk (the downfall of many writers), and so much more. From human-animal-plant co-evolution to character building to revision, myth and symbol, and the shape of story, we delved and discussed concerns of the writer. Then we turned to Dorothy’s expertise as an editor and crafter of compelling jacket copy and talked about the art of proposals and platforms and what the editor can tell us about how to succeed. She gives us her take-aways from being a hands-on editor of books already agented or purchased by publishers, as well as tips for writing a proposal that will sell--and tells us why even the best book can’t be purchased by every editor. And did I mention we cover a brief history of storytelling technologies, and where to find inspiration for audacity and fearless writing?

LINKS:

Spirit of the Wolves

The Science of the Magical

The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World

The Truth about Dogs

The Hero's Journey

Grass

The Family Tree

When They Severed Earth From Sky

The International Wolf Conference

Avatar

A River Runs Through It 

A Bit of Fry and Laurie

http://DorothyHearst.com

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

Problems with sound? Extras don’t show up? In this far-ranging conversation with filmmaker Juan Davis,  a writer/ director with experience in sound, editing and just about every other area of film, we learn just how projects morph and problems can shape a stronger film in the end. From giving voice to the voiceless and showing a film about terrorism in troubled times to the art of transitions, arc and ambiguity, this conversation will inspire story makers of all stripes.

Juan is the writer/ director of a documentary, horror shorts, and a powerful new short film about a young middle eastern boy who witnesses war and is forever changed. He’s also just finished a feature script. We get the low down on the differences between documentary and narrative, and on Juan’s drafting and revision techniques, including reading the draft out loud to yourself, acting it out, the importance of taking notes as you go, and the depth of research he does. (You won’t want to miss the hilarious story of how Juan came to make a documentary.) Short film v. long? Juan talks about differences in set-up, hitting key points as fast as possible, starting with the most important part of the story right away, and getting your point across in a short time. We discuss the dearth of African-American horror filmmakers and why he's drawn to the genre and how he’s doing something different with horror, including reversing character expectations. We also speculate about the reasons behind the reemergence of exposition in written narrative, and the practice of stealing shots from admired films.

Links:

Juan-Davis.com

Twitter: @the1juandavis

Facebook: director.juan.davis

A Hero's Journey

On Directing Film

Story Logic and the Craft of Fiction

Laurie Broadnaux

Thaddeus Dickens

Thaddeus Dickens Jr.

Steven King

The Adventures of Tintin

Cinema Paradiso

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.