"The Anatomy of Story is concrete and practical without resorting to simplistic 'Three Act Structure' screenwriting clichés. It will be an indispensable guide to writing your first great script, a perfect survival manual to help you negotiate the often confusing, contradictory and cutthroat world of professional screenwriting."

-Larry Wilson,
co-writer /co-producer of Beetlejuice and co-writer of The Addams Family


Interviews with John Truby about
The Anatomy of Story

Dutton's Book Signing
Read Comments/Excerpts from The Anatomy of Story

See Photos of the event


Tips
WD Interview #2: 10 Great Mistakes About Story


Book Summary
The Anatomy of Story is John Truby's long-awaited first book, and it shares all of his secrets for writing a compelling script. Based on the lessons in his award-winning class, Great Screenwriting, The Anatomy of Story draws on a broad range of philosophy and mythology, offering fresh techniques and insightful anecdotes alongside Truby's own unique approach for how to build an effective, multifaceted narrative.

Truby's method for constructing a story is at once insightful and practical, focusing on the hero's moral and emotional growth. As a result, writers will dig deep within and explore their own values and worldviews in order to create an effective story. Writers will come away with an extremely precise set of tools to work with - specific, useful techniques to make the audience care about their characters, and that make their characters grow in meaningful ways. They will construct a surprising plot that is unique to their particular concept, and they will learn how to express a moral vision that can genuinely move an audience.

The foundations of story that Truby lays out are so fundamental they are applicable - and essential - to all writers, from novelists and short-story writers to journalists, memoirists, and writers of narrative non-fiction.

Editorial Reviews
"Hollywood story consultant Truby commits his vast knowledge of screenwriting and storytelling to the page in this handy guide for aspiring writers of all types. Truby delves into the setup, from basic structure to the premise and the depth behind it. From there, he moves into character, emphasizing the importance of not only the hero but also the characters in the story who aid and oppose him. Truby illustrates the importance of setting to the story and how careful plotting is needed to weave the elements of the story together. He cautions that plot is not incidental and requires careful management and timely revelations. Although most of his examples are from movies, such as Tootsie, The Godfather, and Star Wars, Truby also draws from novels and plays, and his advice is applicable not only to the hopeful screenwriter but to the aspiring novelist as well. A comprehensive guide to writing stories of all kinds, Truby's tome is invaluable to any writer looking to put an idea to paper."

-Kristine Huntley
Booklist Review

Reader Reviews