12:04:28 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Hi from Los Angeles! ;-)

12:04:45 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Should I have my camera on?

12:04:49 From Nancy Hillis to Everyone:

Hi, I’m from Santa Cruz

12:05:16 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Hi Nic! Oswego, NY here!

12:08:22 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Hey Jonathan! Great to see you here!

12:11:55 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

I love Story Symmetry. Fascinating insights

12:26:11 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Lol, was definitely thinking of Supernatural

12:26:55 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

LOST was another high concept that went on too long, I believe

12:27:03 From Monica Leonelle to Everyone:

Reacted to "LOST was another hig..." with ❤️

12:29:22 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

I was going to mention Lost too. I was more forgiving of the end and last season than most, though.

12:29:55 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Nahhh, I dig death mythology too, Russell!

12:30:16 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

I had to quit The Walking Dead after Neagan showed up.

12:30:25 From Russell Nohelty to Everyone:

same

12:30:30 From Russell Nohelty to Everyone:

Reacted to "I had to quit The Wa..." with ❤️

12:36:52 From Russell Nohelty to Everyone:

Wealth - Millionaire, Billionaire, Rich, Hamptons, Royalty, Boujie

Food - Delicious, Fluffy, Creamy, Sweet, Salty, Sour

Touch - Caress, Soft Skin, Satin, Silk, Delicate

Sex - Sexy, Steamy, Hot, Wild, XXX

Status - Elite, Corporate, Special, Top, Expert, MD, Royalty, Crown

Danger - War, Death, Hunger, Mission, Adventure, Trap

Competition - Games, Selection, Contest, Compete, Rivalry

Exotic Travel - Beaches, Ruins, Cliffs, Dunes, Panoramas, Breathtaking Views, Mesmerizing Sights

Beauty - Gorgeous, Pretty, Lovely, Charming, Enchanted, Goddess, Bombshell

Productivity - Better, Faster, Smarter, Habits, Efficiency, Output, Best, Reward

Romance - Love, Connection, Soulmates, Hearts, Heavenly, Oneness

Nostalgia - Wispy, Sentimental, Black and White, Idyllic, Period, Homesickness

Jealousy - Envy, Threat, Insecurity, Defensiveness, Green-Eyed Monster

12:43:11 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

Letting their shadow side live vicariously through the bully story

12:43:32 From Phoebe Ravencraft (she/they) to Everyone:

Oh, how we Enneagram 1’s love to hate on ourselves. ;)

12:44:23 From Monica Leonelle to Everyone:

Reacted to "Oh, how we Enneagram..." with 😂

12:51:44 From Russell Nohelty to Everyone:

Reacted to "Screenshot2024_08_01_155016.jpg" with 😂

12:51:47 From Russell Nohelty to Everyone:

that's the one.

12:52:02 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

I’m fluent in meme

12:53:03 From Monica Leonelle to Everyone:

Reacted to "I’m fluent in meme" with 😂

12:53:05 From Monica Leonelle to Everyone:

Reacted to "I’m fluent in meme" with ❤️

12:54:41 From Phoebe Ravencraft (she/they) to Everyone:

I’m gonna remember this as I analyze blurb submissions. 🤣

12:54:47 From Monica Leonelle to Everyone:

Reacted to "I’m gonna remember t..." with 😂

12:55:01 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Reacted to "I’m fluent in meme" with ❤️

12:55:02 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

I love the idea of using Enneagrams for core wounds and themes like in Claire Taylor's books.

12:55:03 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

I dunno Enniograms… Can you name a good reference to learn more?

12:55:13 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Reacted to "I love the idea of u..." with 👍

12:55:22 From Phoebe Ravencraft (she/they) to Everyone:

The Enneagram Institute

12:55:29 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Reacted to "The Enneagram Instit..." with 👍

12:55:33 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Replying to "The Enneagram Instit..."

Thanks!

12:55:35 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Subscribe to the daily EnneaThought

12:55:35 From GM Loggins to Everyone:

Reacted to "The Enneagram Instit..." with 👍

12:55:44 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

I love a good hot mess heroine too.

12:55:46 From GM Loggins to Everyone:

Replying to "The Enneagram Instit..."

thank you!

12:55:49 From Monica Leonelle to Everyone:

The best book IMO is called The Essential Enneagram. It’s short and to the point about every type.

12:55:52 From Phoebe Ravencraft (she/they) to Everyone:

Or, from an author’s perspective, Claire Taylor is an expert on the Enneagram.

12:55:59 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Reacted to "The best book IMO is..." with ❤️

12:56:05 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Replying to "The best book IMO is..."

Thank you!

12:56:11 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

The Daily EnneaThought is a daily dose of story prompts!

12:58:06 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

KM Weiland has written great books about archetypal characters and shadow archetypes. Great analysis of “could Voldemort have been a hero instead? And might Harry have turned out to be a villain too?"

12:58:49 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Enneagram Institute is like the central source of knowledge about it, but they don’t necessarily break it down well for authors…

12:59:22 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

What is the second book Claire Taylor wrote, that you just described, Russell?

12:59:33 From Russell Nohelty to Everyone:

Sustaining your author career

12:59:42 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Reacted to "Sustaining your auth..." with 👍

12:59:45 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

Interesting. I haven't read the second one of Claire's yet. Laurie Schnebly Campbell has a good Ennegram book specifically for writing characters.

13:00:43 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Writing the Shadow by Joanna Penn is excellent!

13:01:42 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

Yes, I'm really interested in applying these concepts to marketing

13:02:08 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

I don’t have a question right now because I just heard you guys talking about it, so it’s clear in my brain right now. But tomorrow afternoon I’ll be like “Oh dang, what did they say about concept, again?”

13:07:02 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

LMFAO, okay, I need to go back and check my emails for that one

13:09:25 From Phoebe Ravencraft (she/they) to Everyone:

Simplifying the message is essential for wide enthusiasm.

13:09:35 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Reacted to "Simplifying the mess..." with 👍

13:15:15 From Phoebe Ravencraft (she/they) to Everyone:

I love that idea!

13:19:12 From Russell Nohelty to Everyone:

https://www.theauthorstack.com/p/tana-frenchs-in-the-woods-and-the

13:20:01 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

That was a really good one. I liked her distinction between wounds and scars.

13:21:15 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

Thanks Monica and Russell. This was super interesting.

13:21:22 From GM Loggins to Everyone:

This is good stuff. Looking forward to theme.

13:22:12 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

Will the replays be in Teachable?

13:22:53 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

The key question is how to make a particular hook “sticky”? I want examples from participants! (And I want to give you my examples for you to critique!)

13:23:11 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Lol, sticky as in attractive?

13:23:16 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Right!

13:23:21 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Hooky!

13:23:48 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Oh, I figure the whole thing will get at this in different ways!

13:24:23 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

To me, it’s shared wounds between the reader and author. But I write all about wounds.

13:24:25 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

Like different points of connection for people. At least, that's how I think of it.

13:24:42 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

…or shared Universal fantasies, hopes?

13:24:49 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

I like the shared wounds idea, Jonathan.

13:24:49 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Maybe wounds are sticker than hopes/desires?

13:25:01 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

To me, they are

13:25:23 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Reacted to "Like different point..." with 👍

13:25:27 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

you’re probably right… the desires are there to be frustrated by the wounds

13:25:48 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

So the wounds become the most interesting part

13:26:24 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Not specific wounds but the sense of connection, like Jessica said.

13:26:38 From Nancy Hillis to Everyone:

Interesting. In sales and copywriting/marketing, pain is more powerful than aspirations/hopes. Someone said you sell more pain pills than vitamins.

13:26:38 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

…and, apparently, “trope multiplication”!

13:27:38 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Nancy: yeah, I buy way more supplements than pain pills. But that’s because I am avoiding pain/sickness via wellness/fitness! So the pain is still the big motivator (its avoidance, anyway)

13:27:52 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Reacted to "Interesting. In sale..." with ❤️

13:28:17 From Nancy Hillis to Everyone:

Me too, Nicolas… in order to avoid pain!

13:28:27 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Reacted to "Me too, Nicolas… in ..." with 👍

13:28:28 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

I think trope stacking is one of the things that made Fourth Wing so successful.

13:28:50 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

I just finished reading that it and it has so many universal fantasies and tropes.

13:29:07 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

But it’s childhood besties-to-lovers AFTER estrangement or long absence, right?

13:29:42 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Reacted to "I just finished read..." with 👍

13:29:43 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

Yet, it was sort of wholesome in Clueless (the step-siblings trope)

13:30:38 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

I don’t know, Alexander McCall Smith does okay… but there aren’t a huge crowd of other cozy authors right there with him.

13:32:25 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

What are your thoughts on pitching the same book with a different angle to appeal to the popular tropes of the day. I've noticed Stephanie Holmes doing this with her Nevermore series in FB ads, using a tagline positioning it as a cozy fantasy mystery or something like that.

13:33:18 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

It seems like the more tropes and triggers you stack, the more you can pivot like that.

13:34:16 From Nancy Hillis to Everyone:

What is the D story?

13:35:55 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

I know the Mentalist

13:36:14 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Kinda similar to Monk IMO

13:37:18 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Oh, that reminds me of the MCU. Using the ongoing saga or villain (Thanos) to keep audiences tuning in.

13:37:56 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Yup, Endgame had a HUGE dropoff

13:40:30 From Russell Nohelty to Everyone:

https://paullevitz.com/paradigm/

13:41:11 From Nancy Hillis to Everyone:

Thanks Russell

13:42:49 From Nancy Hillis to Everyone:

Monica, can you tell me what the book is by Melanie Harlow?

13:44:55 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

All those years reading comics are finally paying off

13:45:04 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Reacted to "All those years read..." with 😂

13:45:40 From Monica Leonelle to Everyone:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09TNQKGXY

13:47:32 From Monica Leonelle to Everyone:

Reacted to "All those years read..." with 😂

13:47:48 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Yeah, everyone tells me Die Hard is their favorite Christmas movie! But the Potter movies are not?

13:48:39 From Phoebe Ravencraft (she/they) to Everyone:

Christmas drives the plot of Die Hard. Christmas is simply an annual occasion in Potter. 😎

13:48:51 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Reacted to "Christmas drives the..." with 👏

13:48:56 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

…aaah, that’s why: many of the Potter books end with ratcheting up the tension, the stakes, of the overall story

13:49:33 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Does Christmas drive the plot in Die Hard? I’ve only seen the movie once and didn’t remember that it even happened in winter...

13:50:30 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Replying to "Does Christmas drive..."

…christmas might be more important than I realized, I am not much of a cinema person, and only saw that movie once…

13:50:39 From Russell Nohelty to Everyone:

Reacted to "…christmas might be ..." with 😂

13:51:06 From Phoebe Ravencraft (she/they) to Everyone:

Replying to "Does Christmas drive..."

It is set on Christmas Eve on purpose. The villains are relying on the Christmas party at Nakatomi to enable them to take the hostages and pull off the theft. And the only reason the hero is present is his estranged wife flew him out to California to see the kids for Christmas.

13:51:15 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

Evermore definitely feels like winter

13:52:01 From Monica Leonelle to Everyone:

Reacted to "Evermore definitely ..." with ❤️

13:52:35 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Replying to "Does Christmas drive..."

Oh! Right! I just thought it was a fundraiser of some kind. The visual tropes in the Potterverse cue Christmas thoughts all the time with me, but I just didn’t see much visual Christmas cues in Die Hard. (so much of it was in the innards of the building, the roof, the basement, the elevators, etc.)

13:52:53 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Reacted to "It is set on Christm..." with 👍

13:52:56 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Replying to "Does Christmas drive..."

…although the “now I have a machine gun, ho ho ho” was great— I just now remembered that line

13:53:04 From Jonathan Ashline to Everyone:

Reacted to "…although the “now I..." with 😂

13:53:11 From Nicolas Nelson to Everyone:

Reacted to "Evermore definitely ..." with ❤️

13:53:11 From Phoebe Ravencraft (she/they) to Everyone:

Replying to "Does Christmas drive..."

Side effect of doing Master’s work in English Literature. I can’t see or read anything without analyzing the drivers, themes, tropes, and motivations!

13:53:20 From Jessica Arden Cline to Everyone:

Thanks! This was great.

Meeting summary for Storyurge (08/01/2024)

Quick recapMonica and Russell discussed the structure and strategies of their upcoming six-week course on storytelling, focusing on characters, building worlds, plot, and the use of psychological triggers. They also delved into the intricacies of bully romance, the differences between desert and forest books, and the importance of understanding psychological triggers in marketing. Lastly, they outlined the upcoming calls, discussed strategies for making writing more engaging, and explored the similarities between writing and comic books.

Next steps

• Attendees to think about theme questions for the next call.

• Attendees to read ahead on theme-related content in the course materials.

• Attendees to consider their biggest storytelling challenge in their current book project.• Russell to add the "Case for Your Book" video to the course materials.

• Monica and Russell to prepare for the next call on theme.

• Attendees to review the psychological triggers and pleasure/pain inducers discussed in the call.• Attendees to consider how to make their story ideas "stickier" using the concepts discussed.

• Attendees to explore the idea of layering multiple tropes in their stories.

• Attendees to think about potential seasonal angles for their book ideas

.• Monica and Russell to continue addressing concept-related questions in future calls.

SummarySix-Week Course on Storycraft and Symmetry

Monica outlined the structure of the upcoming six-week course, which will cover characters, building worlds, plot, and a Q&A session, with lessons primarily from television and movies. She introduced various resources related to storycraft and copywriting, and discussed the concept of story symmetry, a framework that helps writers develop their ideas. Russell added that the course they were discussing had a very grassland structure, while his own approach was more forest-like and relational. They also discussed the concept of high and low concept in storytelling, using examples from movies, literature, and television, and noted that a high concept doesn't necessarily have a shorter lifespan than a low concept.

Strategies for High-Concept Television Series

Monica and Russell discussed the challenges and strategies of creating high-concept television series. They examined the evolution of popular shows like The Vampire Diaries and How I Met Your Mother, identifying issues such as diminishing viewer engagement and difficulty in maintaining compelling storylines. Russell emphasized the importance of starting with a low-concept premise and creating a vast universe in storytelling, using examples like The Dresden Files and Buffy's sixth season. They also discussed the success of the 'quiet place' concept in their projects, suggesting its potential application to future projects.

Psychological Triggers in Storytelling

Monica and Russell discussed the concept of psychological triggers, specifically the pleasure and pain inducers, and their role in storytelling. Monica explained how these triggers, such as wealth, poverty, and danger, can be used to create relatable and engaging narratives. They also discussed the cyclical nature of popularity for certain tropes and how some ideas may remain evergreen. Both agreed on the usefulness of these triggers in storytelling and their ability to elevate a concept to a higher level.

Bully Romance, High and Low Concepts

Monica and Russell delved into the intricacies of bully romance and its allure, discussing the transformation of the protagonist from a victim to a dominant force. They noted that readers often identify with both the victim and the bully, finding catharsis and redemption in the narrative. The discussion also touched on the concept of high and low concept in storytelling, with examples from popular culture like Squid Games and The Mandalorian. They emphasized the importance of making complex concepts accessible to a broader audience, using Kickstarter as an example. The conversation underscored the necessity of considering both high and low concept elements when developing stories.

Discussing Desert and Forest Books

Monica and Russell discussed the differences between desert and forest books, with Monica asserting that desert books tend to be more superficial while forest books delve deeper into the story. Russell agreed, adding that desert books have a more straightforward structure while forest books can be more challenging to follow. They also discussed the use of Enneagrams in character development for storytelling, with both agreeing on the importance of both the inner and outer representation of the character's wound. They recommended several resources for understanding Enneagrams, including books by Claire Taylor, Virginia Price, and David Daniels.

Understanding Psychological Triggers in Marketing

Russell and Monica discussed the importance of understanding psychological triggers in marketing and how they use this knowledge to craft different emails for various stages of the customer journey. They identified three archetypes and noted that their writing styles differ. They also discussed their marketing strategy, which involves targeting advanced authors and expanding to more casual readers, and even strangers who are not familiar with their brand. They further emphasized the importance of tailoring messages to different audiences, including core and broader groups, and the differentiation of book audiences: die-hard genre fans, casual readers of the larger genre, and readers who don't typically read in the genre. Both agreed on the significance of centering the reader in the narrative, regardless of whether the content is fiction or non-fiction, and expressed interest in working through a story idea with Theodore Taylor.

Planning Upcoming Calls and Storytelling Strategies

Monica and Russell outlined the upcoming calls that would delve into various topics, with the second call focusing on a specific theme. They encouraged attendees to prepare theme questions for the next six to eight weeks and to consider their biggest storytelling challenge in their current book. They also discussed strategies for making an idea "sticky" with an audience, including the use of psychological triggers and understanding the audience's preferences. The replays of these calls would be available in Teachable before the next call.

Strategies for Engaging Writing and Clickable Content

Russell and Monica discussed various strategies for making writing more engaging and clickable, including the use of psychological triggers, multiple storylines, and storytelling loops. They also explored the concept of pitching the same book with different angles to appeal to current popular tropes, and the importance of considering seasonality when releasing books. Lastly, they discussed the similarities between writing and comic books, with both mediums utilizing cliffhangers and dramatic reveals to maintain reader interest.