Reddit mentions of The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller

Nah, what you don't know is that before STC and a guru on every corner on the internet, Truby was the man. Every studio in town sent their execs to his course, and his approach became the dominant school of thought for development. He was also hired as a consultant to help with scripts at many studios and networks.

I'm not saying I'm a big fan, I'm saying the guy was the top consultant/teacher in town. McKee was around, but he was always touring. Truby stayed in LA and got tight with the studios.

The only reason I bought his tapes (back in the day) was that I kept going to pitch meetings, and they'd have the tapes in the bookcase. I wanted to know what the buyers thought was good structure.

I have to say that Truby's approach has some really valuable ideas. He has some weak ideas, too, but they stand out because it's hard to find examples in hit movies that fit.

If you're interested, save your money and buy his book instead of the course. His book explains everything.

First, let me say that I love your name! That has got to be one of the coolest Reddit names I've seen in a while. :-)

That said, for writers I'm a huge fan of John Truby's The Anatomy of Story. I've read pretty much all the major books on writing out there (and a lot of minor ones), but Truby's background as a writing teacher shines like nobody else. He's my go-to recommendation for all writers.

My other favorite is Writing Tools, by Roy Peter Clark. It really is as the title suggests, and is a great collection of things to remember and consider as a writer for both fiction and non-fiction.

John Truby's Anatomy of Story is a great one. Joseph Cambell's A Hero with a Thousand Faces is also where The Hero's Journey comes from and worth a read to see what kinds of universal motifs and beats exist in stories.

Also second On Writing & The Elements of Style! Brandon Sanderson is also great, and he does FAQ Fridays on his blog where he answers questions on writing as well!

I believe that it's Screenplay by Syd Field. I read it but it doesn't hold a candle to Robert McKee's Story or John Truby's The Anatomy of Story. Field's reliance on 3-act structure is problematic for me, while Truby's 22 steps are a lifesaver.

CYA: No, these are not affiliate links, and no I am not being paid to sell you stuff. I'm currently reading McKee's Story and currently it's my favorite book on storytelling in general.

How about telling stories? Writing sounds so formal and professional, but anyone can learn how to tell a good story.

Here is a series of ted talks on how to tell a story. My favorite book on storytelling is John Truby's The Anatomy of Story.

It's a useful skill if you ever have to talk in front of people or decide you want to write narrative fiction!

https://amzn.com/B0052Z3M8A