Write Stories That Could Actually Sell
A practical framework for evaluating and strengthening your story idea – at any stage.
Most writers spend months or years developing stories with hidden weaknesses.
Problems with the concept, stakes, or emotional connection often don’t become obvious until deep into the writing process—or after the script is finished.
The Idea book introduces the framework.
The companion course shows you how to apply it to your own story.
Watch a 4- minute sample lesson:
What the Book Teaches
It’s difficult to see your own story the way readers, audiences, or industry professionals will.
The Idea explains the seven essential elements of the stories that have a chance at success, and why they’re needed.
With practical examples and clear explanations, it’s been praised by hundreds of writers as a must-have resource for crafting compelling narratives.
“Before starting any project, every film or TV writer, whether new or experienced, should read this book. When Erik sent it to me, I was just beginning a new script. This book showed me problems with the idea I didn’t know I had. Better yet, it showed me how to find solutions.”
Apply these elements with The Idea Course
A self-paced process for questioning your idea and refining it.
5 targeted lessons for each of the 7 elements.
Clear prompts for evaluating your story honestly.
Practical activities for strengthening what’s not working.
Downloadable workbook exercises to apply each lesson to your own project.
The 7 Elements of a Viable Story
Every successful story shares these seven essential characteristics.
1. Punishing
The main character struggles continuously through truly escalating complications and conflicts.
2. Relatable
The audience emotionally identifies and experiences the story through a truly subjective point-of-view.
3. Original
The story builds off its genre predecessors with a genuinely and memorably fresh conceptual hook.
5. Life-Altering
The stakes of reaching the main goal feel life-and-death to the characters and audience.
7. Meaningful
The writer’s individual voice and thematic exploration lead to a genuinely rich take-away.
4. Believable
The world, events and characters feel grounded in vivid authenticity, not convenience.
6. Entertaining
The situation and storytelling deliver a compelling ride through strong genre execution.
1. Punishing
The main character struggles continuously through truly escalating complications and conflicts.
2. Relatable
The audience emotionally identifies and experiences the story through a truly subjective point-of-view.
3. Original
The story builds off its genre predecessors with a genuinely and memorably fresh conceptual hook.
4. Believable
The world, events and characters feel grounded in vivid authenticity, not convenience.
5. Life-Altering
The stakes of reaching the main goal feel life-and-death to the characters and audience.
6. Entertaining
The situation and storytelling deliver a compelling ride through strong genre execution.
7. Meaningful
The writer’s individual voice and thematic exploration lead to a genuinely rich take-away.
Feedback from writers:
Erik’s approach with THE IDEA helps identify problems with a story idea even before you start working on structure, and that’s been a huge help for me in making my scripts more emotionally involving for readers.
The beauty of the course is that it provides a step by step process for evaluating your idea in light of many that have been highly successful over time, and does so in a way that develops one’s capacity to vet all such ideas in the future in a much more sophisticated way.
Erik’s an expert at figuring out whether an idea is big and bold enough to develop into a movie script, and his course provides a concise and insightful tool for self assessment. It’s an entire college course rolled into small segments that’s perfect for active writers testing their ideas.
Lifetime access. Watch at your own pace.
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