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Jay Sherer wants to learn everything about storytelling. He interviews screenwriters, novelists, directors, literary agents, producers, and anyone else who knows about the business of storytelling. Plus he studies screenwriting, prose, writing, and the business models driving film, television, and novels. Learn along side Jay about How Stories Work--not just how to write them, but also how to sell them and get them made. Join the network of storytellers trying to improve, grow, and make valuable connections!
Episodes
Tuesday Mar 21, 2023
Tuesday Mar 21, 2023
A graphic novel about finding purpose and value. My interview with Drunk3PO (Jay)!
Jay (Drunk3PO on Twitter) works as a teacher. He was seeing more and more kids who need to find purpose in their lives and value themselves. He decided to write a graphic novel for them. On today’s show, he talks about his first graphic novel Achromatic Chronicles: Blue, the inspiration behind it, and why he decided to become a writer on top of being a YouTuber.
DRUNK3PO'S GRAPHIC NOVEL: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/achromatic-chronicles-blue#/
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL + STORYTELLING RESOURCES: https://www.patreon.com/howstorieswork
JAY'S ORIGINAL STORIES (CO-WRITTEN BY NATHAN SCHECK):
- Death of a Bounty Hunter (novel and audiobook): http://deathofabountyhunter.com
- Timeslingers (YA serial adventure story): https://a.co/d/dUKv6Z5
- Star Wars: Rivals (short film): https://youtu.be/wrqWoTLRzCw
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Tuesday Mar 07, 2023
Tuesday Mar 07, 2023
Dark stories. The imperfection of being human. Hope and despair.
On today's show, screenwriter and poet Joe Favalaro joins me to discuss the importance of telling dark stories that get to the core of what it means to be human. We use one of his latest scripts, Ultra Modern, as an example of a dark story told from the truth Joe's experienced in his own life.
I hope you enjoy my conversation with Joe! Give him a follow on Twitter: @JoeStraynge
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL + STORYTELLING RESOURCES: https://www.patreon.com/howstorieswork
JAY'S ORIGINAL STORIES (CO-WRITTEN BY NATHAN SCHECK):
- Death of a Bounty Hunter (novel and audiobook): http://deathofabountyhunter.com
- Timeslingers (YA serial adventure story): https://a.co/d/dUKv6Z5
- Star Wars: Rivals (short film): https://youtu.be/wrqWoTLRzCw
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Tuesday Feb 21, 2023
Tuesday Feb 21, 2023
Intrigue. Corruption. Amazing dialogue. And so many twists, turns, and clues it's worth digging deeper into...
Robert Towne's screenplay for Chinatown (1974) is considered by many to be the best screenplay of all time. On today's show (also available as a video on YouTube), I dig as deep as I can into the script to unearth all the clues, twists, and turns that make the script (and the film) incredible!
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL + STORYTELLING RESOURCES: https://www.patreon.com/howstorieswork
JAY'S ORIGINAL STORIES (CO-WRITTEN BY NATHAN SCHECK):
- Death of a Bounty Hunter (novel and audiobook): http://deathofabountyhunter.com
- Timeslingers (YA serial adventure story): https://a.co/d/dUKv6Z5
- Star Wars: Rivals (short film): https://youtu.be/wrqWoTLRzCw
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Tuesday Feb 07, 2023
Tuesday Feb 07, 2023
Banning Books. Huckleberry Finn. Faulkner. Wolfe. And the Power of Literature.
On today's show, Dr. Jospeh Bentz joins me to discuss the power of literature and storytelling. It's a topic we're both passionate about, and something Dr. Bentz will be writing a book on! We talk extensively about what makes literature different from other mediums, how the interpretation of literature changes over time, and ways to approach literature. Thanks for listening!
DR. JOSEPH BENTZ'S WEBSITE: https://josephbentz.com/
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL + STORYTELLING RESOURCES: https://www.patreon.com/howstorieswork
JAY'S ORIGINAL STORIES (CO-WRITTEN BY NATHAN SCHECK):
- Death of a Bounty Hunter (novel and audiobook): http://deathofabountyhunter.com
- Timeslingers (YA serial adventure story): https://a.co/d/dUKv6Z5
- Star Wars: Rivals (short film): https://youtu.be/wrqWoTLRzCw
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Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Tuesday Jan 24, 2023
Getting Notes from City Lights Studio on Our Screenplay: The Harlequin
What is it like to talk to a studio about your screenplay? On today’s podcast, my co-writer Nathan Scheck and I had a chance to sit down with the new, but quickly-growing City Lights Studio to talk about our latest feature script: The Harlequin. On this show you’ll get to hear:
- What it’s like to be a brand new studio in Hollywood
- How Seth and Justin from City Lights Studio feel about the current marketplace
- Specific feedback for our script: The Harlequin
- …and ideas for how to take your screenplay to the next level AND hopefully get it made
I’m friends with Seth, one of the founders of City Lights Studio, so this conversation is extremely friendly. Meaning, if you were to meet with a studio to discuss your script, it might not be this friendly. But my hope is that listening to their feedback on our script will give you some insight into how to polish your screenplays and get them made.
If you’re interested in reading our feature script, The Harlequin, or our short, No Vacancy, please consider becoming a supporter of How Stories Work on Patreon or shoot me an email and let me know you’re interested in reading it.
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL + STORYTELLING RESOURCES: https://www.patreon.com/howstorieswork
JAY'S ORIGINAL STORIES (CO-WRITTEN BY NATHAN SCHECK):
- Death of a Bounty Hunter (novel and audiobook): http://deathofabountyhunter.com
- Timeslingers (YA serial adventure story): https://a.co/d/dUKv6Z5
- Star Wars: Rivals (short film): https://youtu.be/wrqWoTLRzCw
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Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
Tuesday Jan 10, 2023
The most UNIQUE scene in the history of film is...
On today's show, I break down a specific scene from an iconic film. Which scene? Listen to find out what makes this scene so unique. I'll read the scene from the original screenplay and break it down so that screenwriters, writers, and film fans can learn what it takes to write a scene that's this powerful. 99.99% of us will never write a scene like this (that gets made), but that doesn't mean we can't extract valuable lessons from this example.
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL + STORYTELLING RESOURCES: https://www.patreon.com/howstorieswork
JAY'S ORIGINAL STORIES (CO-WRITTEN BY NATHAN SCHECK):
- Death of a Bounty Hunter (novel and audiobook): http://deathofabountyhunter.com
- Timeslingers (YA serial adventure story): https://a.co/d/dUKv6Z5
- Star Wars: Rivals (short film): https://youtu.be/wrqWoTLRzCw
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Wednesday Jul 20, 2022
Wednesday Jul 20, 2022
Agendas in Fiction Writing: Why It COSTS Writers | How to Craft (and Test) a Message | Clarifying the Premise
On today's show: why writers and storytellers SHOULD NOT write with an agenda, but SHOULD try to say something important and impactful. I'll break down the difference between the two approaches, the mindset writers need, and a process for getting there.
New shows come out all the time. Watch on YouTube or listen on your preferred podcast provider!
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL + STORYTELLING RESOURCES: https://www.patreon.com/howstorieswork
JAY'S ORIGINAL STORIES (CO-WRITTEN BY NATHAN SCHECK):
- Death of a Bounty Hunter (novel and audiobook): http://deathofabountyhunter.com
- Timeslingers (YA serial adventure story): https://www.amazon.com/Timeslingers/d...
- Star Wars: Rivals (short film): https://youtu.be/wrqWoTLRzCw
FOLLOW/CONNECT:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/storytellinghsw
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestorygeeks/
Thursday Jul 14, 2022
Thursday Jul 14, 2022
Box Office Numbers in a Streaming World: Box Office Numbers Explained | Streaming Business Model Explained | Comedy vs. Drama and Respect
Special thanks to Josh Taylor from Modern Mouse and Theme Park Casual for submitting this week's topics! How should we think about box office numbers? How has that changed because of streaming services? Plus... why do dramas get so much respect while many comedies don't? I'll break that down, too!
New shows come out all the time. Watch on YouTube or listen on your preferred podcast provider!
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL + STORYTELLING RESOURCES: https://www.patreon.com/howstorieswork
JAY'S ORIGINAL STORIES (CO-WRITTEN BY NATHAN SCHECK):
- Death of a Bounty Hunter (novel and audiobook): http://deathofabountyhunter.com
- Timeslingers (YA serial adventure story): https://www.amazon.com/Timeslingers/d...
- Star Wars: Rivals (short film): https://youtu.be/wrqWoTLRzCw
FOLLOW/CONNECT:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/storytellinghsw
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestorygeeks/
Wednesday Jul 06, 2022
Wednesday Jul 06, 2022
Character Deaths and Impact: Darth Vader | Kylo Ren | [SPOILER] in Stranger Things | [SPOILER] in Obi-Wan Kenobi | Cultural Perspectives in Tokyo Vice
Jay Sherer (The Story Geeks) breaks down character deaths. Why are some character deaths received well while others are hated by fans? We'll break down different character deaths, the perspectives on those deaths, and why some fans are starting to say things like: "I don't want characters to die."
Also, special thanks to Brionna for the excellent, intelligently-written letter to me that brought up this week's topic!
New shows come out all the time. Watch on YouTube or listen on your preferred podcast provider!
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL + STORYTELLING RESOURCES: https://www.patreon.com/howstorieswork
JAY'S ORIGINAL STORIES (CO-WRITTEN BY NATHAN SCHECK):
- Death of a Bounty Hunter (novel and audiobook): http://deathofabountyhunter.com
- Timeslingers (YA serial adventure story): https://www.amazon.com/Timeslingers/d...
- Star Wars: Rivals (short film): https://youtu.be/wrqWoTLRzCw
FOLLOW/CONNECT:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/storytellinghsw
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestorygeeks/
Wednesday Jun 29, 2022
Wednesday Jun 29, 2022
Stranger Things, Season 4: Vecna = The Devil? | Stranger Things Continuity | Devil's Hollow
Jay Sherer (The Story Geeks) is joined by Chris Easterly (writer of Devil's Hollow) to discuss Season 4 of Stranger Things! We break down Vecna as a villain, talk about his similarities to The Devil, and then dig deeper into Chris's new film, Devil's Hollow and what it takes for a writer/director to produce their own film in 2022.
New shows come out all the time. Watch on YouTube or listen on your preferred podcast provider!
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL + STORYTELLING RESOURCES: https://www.patreon.com/howstorieswork
JAY'S ORIGINAL STORIES (CO-WRITTEN BY NATHAN SCHECK):
- Death of a Bounty Hunter (novel and audiobook): http://deathofabountyhunter.com
- Timeslingers (YA serial adventure story): https://www.amazon.com/Timeslingers/d...
- Star Wars: Rivals (short film): https://youtu.be/wrqWoTLRzCw
FOLLOW/CONNECT:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/storytellinghsw
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thestorygeeks/