Story Grid Editors Roundtable

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.

It’s 20 minutes of help for frozen writers this time as Anne brings you a bite-size episode on the direct path from story structure right down to the selection of details for a story that will engage, entice and enchant your readers. 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 episodes we bring you some shorter solo articles and interviews on topics that interest us as writers. Click here for the show notes.

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.

The Roundtablers join King George VI behind the mic this week to examine emotional stakes in 2010’s Best Picture, The King's Speech, directed by Tom Hooper from David Seidler’s Oscar-winning script. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a favorite film as an example of a significant story principle. Then we team up to debate whether it succeeds or fails, giving authors deep insight into story structure. Click here for full show notes.

Can Anne take the Roundtablers to a story within a story within a story? Find out this week as we analyze Christopher Nolan’s 2010 science fiction heist film Inception. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a favorite film as an example of a significant story principle. Then we team up to debate whether it succeeds or fails, giving authors deep insight into story structure. Click here to read the full show notes.

Join us in the wilds of Yorkshire as we examine the framing story as narrative device in the original gothic romance, Jane Eyre. This 2011 version was directed by Cary Fukunaga from Moira Buffini’s adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 masterpiece. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a favorite film as an example of a significant story principle. Then we team up to debate whether it succeeds or fails, giving authors deep insight into story structure.

It’s suspense, mystery and dramatic irony this week as the Roundtablers explore narrative drive in the context of 2017’s Get Out. This innovative horror movie was directed by Jordan Peele from his Oscar winning screenplay. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a favorite film as an example of a significant story principle. Then we team up to debate whether it succeeds or fails, giving authors deep insight into story structure. Click here for the full show notes.

We are off to look at symbolism this week as we analyze The Wizard of Oz. This iconic American classic was written by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful World of Oz, and directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a favorite film as an example of a significant story principle. Then we team up to debate whether it succeeds or fails, giving authors deep insight into story structure.

Put on your favorite jersey and join the Roundtablers as we analyze the 1993 film Rudy. This film was written by Angelo Pizzo and directed by David Anspaugh. It’s based on the true story of Daniel Eugene "Rudy" Ruettiger, a walk on to the 1974-1975 Notre Dame Football team. Jarie feels it’s a great example of how to adapt a true life story. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a favorite film as an example of a significant story principle. Then we team up to debate whether it succeeds or fails, giving authors deep insight into story structure. Click here for the full show notes.

This week the Roundtablers test Anne’s assertion that Ryan Coogler’s 2018 Marvel blockbuster Black Panther is really a Society political story and not the action movie it looks like. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a favorite film as an example of a significant story principle. Then we team up to debate whether it succeeds or fails, giving authors deep insight into story structure. Click here for the full show notes.

The editors travel back to fundamentals this week as we analyze one of Kim’s favorites, About Time, to learn all about the an internal global genre. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a favorite film as an example of a significant story principle. Then we team up to test the idea, looking at it from all angles to give authors a deeper insight into story structure. Click here for the full show notes.

Valerie opens our eyes to the principle of Progressive Complications as we analyze the hilarious 1998 British-Irish village comedy Waking Ned Devine. This sleeper hit was written and directed by Kirk Jones. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a favorite film as an example of a significant story principle. Then we team up to debate whether it succeeds or fails, giving authors deep insight into story structure. Click here for the full show notes.

Can Jarie make the case that pairing an 18-year-old boy with a 79-year-old woman is truly an innovation on the Love Story? Find out as we examine Harold and Maude, the 1971 cult black comedy directed by Hal Ashby from a script by Colin Higgins. Each week one of the Story Grid Editors—Jarie Bolander, Valerie Francis, Anne Hawley, Kim Kessler, or Leslie Watts—pitches a favorite film as an example of a significant story principle. Then we team up to debate whether it succeeds or fails, giving authors deep insight into story structure. Click here for the full show notes.