Where your approach resonates with me in particular is related to my experience with the framework of instructional design principles in the training world, also known as ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation). These are key phases to iterate through when designing learning solutions/interventions to address an organization’s performance issues. In a lot of ways, the six competencies you present remind me of this ADDIE framework – something to guide me and hang my work around, to guide me to more efficiently produce effective, on-target products. And just as it is with the learning business, developing classroom, e-learning, blended learning or whatever else learning solution, further study of specific techniques and skills is required to execute on the specifics of those products. And so, in this sense, my growing library of technical books on scene writing, dialogue, character development, etc, are not a loss, but rather a gain to help me master the finer elements within this larger framework.

I have found other authors helpful along the way (Truby, Maass, Kress, Bickman), but I really appreciate the simplicity and pragmatism of the model you espouse – especially with respect to the four parts, and their distinct roles. This has made a significant difference in helping me get my blueprint written down. I’m not quite ready yet to launch the writing phase of my work yet, but I feel that reading your book has saved me a great deal of time in the long run. I look forward to continuing to apply it, bit by bit, as I continue to work through my prep work.

Sincerely, Gisèle Thomson

I have to write and tell you what Story Engineering means to me. I’m a novice writer (I hate that phrase) and I’ve taken many classes on writing. INSTINCTIVELY I knew I had to structure my stories. I did a good job, though, with drafting – but it takes an entire ream of paper to get to it! I just knew there had to be a way to structure professionally (not just an outline on cards either).

So I’m sitting at my computer and an email pops up from Writers Digest. It reads: Engineer Your Story. And I FOUND YOU. Saints be praised and thank you Lord! There is answered prayer!

You have given me the instruction that I need to do what I already knew inside. None of my classes taught me this (and so I did it myself – alone, thinking this is how a novice has to do it – thinking maybe some day I’ll be a professional and not have to try and structure on large pieces of art paper so I could visually see my story! -not knowing what else to do – full of shame that I had to structure my stories!). I even wrote on a chalk board for one short story so I wouldn’t go insane.

One question: Does this come in a manual type of book with papers I could tear out, etc? I have downloaded the book, and I need something tactile to work with. I could buy the book, but that’s still too small.

God bless you – and thank you, thank you, thank you. I think I now have a chance of winning the lottery. Not with luck, but with skill and structure.

PS. My husband builds high-end (there’s architecture with these kind of houses) homes, and maybe that’s how I knew my story needed structure. Or maybe I’m just talented.

Christine Lind

jeanne