story day
Sunday, January 12th, 2025
10 am - 4 pm Pacific Time
unlock the story within
Have you ever gotten really excited by a story idea, but as you started writing it you found yourself getting stuck midway through?
Have you ever felt like your characters weren't doing what you wanted them to do?
Do you feel like your story is falling flat, and like your brilliant idea is somehow getting lost in the journey from your imagination to the page?
Have you read every book on story structure but felt like they were all trying to intellectualize an essentially mysterious process?
Did you wonder if maybe it was you?
It isn't you.
...and you're not alone.
Here's the thing: Most story courses are taught by story analysts, talented left-brainers who may excel at deconstructing stories, but fail miserably at articulating the mysterious process of story creation. Thus, story structure has become a term that many true artists resist.
Examining the final result of a well-told story can be illuminating, but how can anyone other than the artist truly know the process that went into making it? Ultimately, stories are about the human spirit. After all, isn't the goal of any well-told story to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts? Simply studying the disparate aspects of a classic does not confer onto the reader the magic that went into making it. It would be like examining a cadaver in order to discover what it means to be human.
Story structure is not a formula - and the structure being alluded to is not the plot, but rather the key experiences that lead to your protagonist's transformation.
In other words, character suggests plot. When you let go of trying to figure out your story and begin to explore your protagonist's experiences at key stages in their journey, situations emerge to support those experiences.
In this powerful one-day workshop, through lecture, writing exercises, and one-on-one work with writers to illustrate the principles, I will take you through the process of connecting to the core of your story by marrying the wildness of your imagination to the rigor of structure.
When you let go of approaching story structure as a conceptual model, you will be set free to discover that everything you imagine belongs in your story when you distill it to its nature.
By the end of the day, you will not only have a much clearer understanding of the story you wish to tell but also a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of story creation.
who is story day for?
This workshop is for novelists, screenwriters, show runners, memoirists, producers, directors, song writers, poets, editors, and anyone else with a desire to deepen their understanding of how to build a story.
about the workshop
watch the class anytime
You are not required to take the workshop live. Many writers have day jobs or commitments during class hours, or sometimes life just gets in the way, therefore this workshop will be recorded and available for viewing for three weeks.
what's the schedule?
Story day is comprised of a morning and afternoon session with a one hour break for lunch.
Morning - Unlock the Story Within | 10am - 12:30pm PST
Through writing exercises and one-on-one work with the writers to illustrate the principles, you will connect to the core of your story. You will discover the dilemma that is driving your protagonist and you will begin to connect to their transformation in a clear and dynamic way.
Afternoon - Story Structure | 1:30pm - 4pm PST
In this workshop, you will be guided through the key experiences in your protagonist's journey, and discover how they reframe their relationship to their primal desire in order to arrive at their transformed state.
meet your teacher
Hi, I'm Alan. They call me the Story Whisperer. I teach a process of marrying passion to craft to tell compelling stories. My students range from first-time writers to best-selling authors and filmmakers who've won numerous accolades for their work including the Pulitzer Prize.
L.A. Writers' Lab's mission is to help writers build a body of work. If you have a story to tell and are seeking support, guidance and community, then welcome. I look forward to working with you.
why writers love story day
“I already had an MFA and I teach and direct a college creative writing program, but I really didn’t have an organic understanding of story. Al’s ability to merge intuition and structure is unique and invaluable. I was able to work through my outline-phobia because of the way he approached structure as a holistic approach, rather than a rigid box. Al encourages the writer to live within the questions of the story, not the answers.”
Laraine Herring
“This was a great experience for me, with clear reminders Al walked us through story structure while at the same time taking us deeper with great questions that helped me to imagine more of the world of the story so that by the end of the day I had a much clearer sense of my story. Whether you are new to all of this or are just looking for a refreshing reminder I would highly recommend getting this and doing the exercises as you listen and re-listen to it. Five stars!”
Philip Mcgrade
“I cannot recommend Al highly enough. He’s my guy. If you take your career seriously, make him yours.”
Jessica Sharzer
“As I had already completed the first draft of my novel, I wasn’t sure if I’d learn much on this course, but I could not have been more wrong! I now feel much better equipped to get to the core of what my story is ‘really’ about and to make that the focus of the second draft. Al is a gifted, humane, experienced, humble and utterly relatable teacher and, whether you are a new writer or an experienced one, offers so much insight to the writing process. Highly recommended.”
Jody Day
“I seriously didn’t think getting published could be a reality until I took your workshop!”
Aditi Khorana
“Al Watt is a master teacher, with a brilliant, intuitive understanding of story.”
Allen Zadoff
“Watt is a superb storyteller with an amazing ability to create suspense… fascinating and elaborate characters… multi-layered, complex and tragically realistic.”
Winnipeg Free Press
“Al Watt delivers the most concise, most graspable breakdown of story structure that I’ve ever heard.”
Andrew J. Lampl
“Watt has an assured talent for complex narrative.”
The Globe and The Mail
“Alan is the best writing instructor on the planet. He shines a light and steps out of the way. He honors the creative process and he respects the writer’s soul. He is insightful and caring and generous. I feel lucky to have crossed paths with such an inspiring person.”
A'ni Santiago
“I’ve taken Story Day three times now, and I’ll probably take it again before my memoir rewrite is done and dusted. Why? Because I’m consistently blown away by what emerges as a result of the one-two-punch of the structure questions + Al’s masterful teaching style. Vague gets specific. Drama intensifies. Characters surprise and delight. (And I’m writing non-fiction!) Sign up if you get the chance. You won’t regret it.”
Jen Leonard
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