New Story Structure Extras List: The Wizard of Oz

by Alexandra Sokoloff

Okay, okay! I'm getting a lot of impatient emails wanting to know the release date of the new Story Structure workbook (in e formats AND print).

It's done and it's coming, I swear. I'm just not sure of the exact release date yet because it's tricky slotting it in between the rollout of the Huntress series. So many books coming out this year! So the textbook may be out as soon as the end of this month, or I may have to wait until June to release it.

In the meantime, I'm implementing a subscription list for free Story Structure Extras.  This is a separate mailing list that will receive free mailings of extras like full movie breakdowns and advance copies of books.

If you'd like to start receiving extras like that, you can sign up here or on the popup form that should have come up for you when you clicked on this post. (Yes, I'm experimenting with lead pages, too, which will be the topic of another blog for those author/marketers out there!).

If you sign up for the list, you'll only get emails with free materials and news of my new book releases.  If you're already getting news of my new book releases, you won't get double emails. I hate spam as much or more than anyone. (If you do get a double email this month, please let me know and I'll get that resolved - this system is still in beta.)


This month's movie breakdown is The Wizard of Oz.





And if you're wondering why I don't just post the full breakdown here on the blog, well, a couple of things.

I've been troubled by the discovery that some people are using this blog and then posting in writing forums or in Amazon reviews things like "You don't need to buy the books, it's all on her blog. Just print it out."

Yes, seriously.

Now, first of all, the Screenwriting Tricks workbooks are written in an order, for a reason.  I've put a LOT of time into structuring the books to take reader/writers through a process that introduces concepts for maximum understanding. Yes, you can get the same information by trawling through this blog, but it's NOT the same as working through one or the other of the books in order.

Second, the workbooks are $3.99.  That's less than a latte at Starbucks. Printing out separate blogs is going to cost you at least ten times that in printer cartridges alone, not to mention the cost of the time it takes to do that. And I, the author, get nothing for it when you do that.

If you don't want to pay it, that's fine, that's why the information is all here on the blog. But when people are going out and telling other people NOT to buy the books because it's all free on the blog, I start to wonder why I'm blogging at all.

There's a serious mental disconnect going on if people who say they want to be authors are taking the information I'm giving them to help them do that - and then sabotaging my living that way.

Karma generally sorts out that kind of behavior. :) And my overwhelming experience with this blog is that you guys are honestly appreciative and generous in your feedback and support.  Not to mention that I learn as much from your comments and questions as you're learning from me.

But it's made me think a little about how to proceed.

I want to do more movie breakdowns - I'd really like to work up to doing one a month. But it's a grueling thing to do.  Every one of them means several weeks of work, on and off, that I don't really have time to do, since my core living is as a thriller writer.

So I'm experimenting, here, and for now the movie breakdowns I do are going to be for this new subscription list, so I know they're going out to people who have at least enough commitment to this blog to subscribe to it.

But I'll be re-posting part of the breakdown here so that people who want to discuss the movie can ask questions in the comments of that post.

As always, all feedback appreciated!

Hope you're enjoying your Spring!  I'm sure we'll get it in Scotland eventually….

-   Alex