Masters in Story Theory(From Habit 2)

What is a story? Why do stories exist? 

Your mind is made from narrative. Life events are narrative. Everything you know only has meaning in a narrative context. In the second habit of writers who get published, using entertaining examples from stories and film clips, we get to understand linguistics and how stories trigger the mental reflexes we use to make memories. 

If you happen to be in advertising or politics you will also learn how stories can be crafted in slightly more insidious ways to plant memories we didn't know we had, too...

You will understand in simple, intuitive terms the overlap between the power in a story and how the mind works.

Masters in Story Theory(From Habit 2)

Knowledge Gaps and Subtext

Using clips and short films, we learn the basic substance of story and how to use it. The writer encodes knowledge gaps into the narrative. Gaps in knowledge are an evolutionary alarm signal for risk, so we become engaged and take ownership of the narrative the moment there is a gap to fill. The receiver decodes by providing the knowledge that goes into the gap from their own knowledge and experience. 

If your friend shouts: "Oh, My God! That woman is SUCH a--!"

You just finished that sentence, didn't you?! (Shame on you...) You filled in the gap. You completed the narrative logic. Instinctively. Unconsciously. Automatically.

Do you instinctively create a narrative progression from the static image, below? Do you project forwards and predict what will happen? This is what we do. In small, medium, large and epic. And we do it the time.

Using interactive examples, the light begin to shine on the critical role that narrative plays in how our mind works, and exactly how every story gets its power to make you love it, take ownership and feel gripped.  

A Story Development Process(From Habit 3)

From Story Seed to Silver Screen

Follow the documented creation of my film story, Bella, I take you on the full story development process, from the first seed of the idea to the final glorious production. You will see the original idea, the premise getting fleshed out, development of the step outline, the final script coming to life. You can read the idea, the premise, the step outline, the script and you can have EXCLUSIVE access to the finished film itself.

I will be doing the same thing for a major story development in the coming year, including the full story development to create a 100,000 word novel, entitled Mayakin, from inspiration, through premise, step outline, manuscript to book. Then on to a script and a film shoot and eventually, to a premiere in London and LA on the silver screen (through my film production company, Skylark Vision). 

The point being, you can see how a story can build around the two 'ends' - the initial inspiration in the mind of the author and the translation to what happens in the mind of the receiver. Critical learning - a Story Development Process is habit number 3.

Story Analysis(From Habit 7)

Ultimate Power - The Storification Dynamic

The author frames and orientates the audience, the characters take their actions in real-time in the story world, the receiver interprets a narrative, fills the gaps with subtext and creates meaning in mind through storification. 

Storification is the secret. It sounds complicated, but by using childrens' stories, short films and lots of well-known story examples you will fully understand how it works, because you will experience storification in your own mind. From here we start to think about using this ultimate power dynamic to make a story analysis and development process based on genuine knowledge of where the power in any particular story lies.  

Note how this differs from traditional story theory. Instead of talking about key questions and turning points and spirit guides, we are recognising that the power of a story lies in what it means to the receiver. The psychology in the conversation between an author and a receiver. That is a story's real powerbase... and you will understand how that power is crafted into place by the events depicted through character behaviours in the narration. NOW you will see where changes can have a positive effect. 

Marketing Through Story(From Habit 4)

The MAIN Reason Writers Fail...

Marketing. You MUST sell yourself and your story. It's a fact of life for an author. The main reason writers fail to make the transition from enthusiastic artist to a professional making money is that they lack the ability to promote themselves effectively to the industry. 

In habit's 4 and 5 we learn everything there is to know about marketing - I mean everything, from sales funnels to web copy - and it's all done using story branding. That is, a type of marketing that uses story dynamics to frame the campaign. 

Selling is ALL about the story, and here's a hint: When YOU come to sell yourself and your product, the hero of your story... is not you. 

The Secret Sauce(From Habit 6)

The Secret Sauce...

Habit number six provides the secret sauce that not only takes you from where you are today to an absolute certainty of getting published, but also...

...I Guarantee It.

How? Well, I will become your personal mentor, work with you on your story, your marketing and your pitch targets. This is a paid service, and you do have to qualify in order to work with me; that is, you must complete the 7 Habits course and you must write a full-length manuscript. 

However, that's all you have to do. You WILL get published. And I WILL guarantee it.  

Become a Story Consultant(From Habit 7)

Story Consultancy

It's one thing to learn to develop a story from the seeds of an inspiration and building outwards. It's a whole different discipline to begin with an existing script or story, and work from the top down, analysing what is already there, establishing the power bands, identifying strengths and weaknesses, proposing and justifying changes and then quantifying the story in terms of popular appeal. 

Story analysis, problem resolution, optimisation and evaluation for investment. 

This is the only course of its kind IN THE WORLD. You can work as a story consultant on completion. 

YOU WILL GET PUBLISHED!(From Habit 1)

You WILL Get Published

These are just a few of the nuggets you will find in the DreamEngine. In simple terms, it's like this:

Do The 7 Habits and you WILL get published.

So it's your choice! $399 to change your life.