The Heart of The Story (8 Week Intensive)

The Heart of the Story is an 8 week writing intensive designed to cause a powerful leap in understanding around the one thing no story can be without: the deep emotional arc of your protagonist.

As a writing coach, people often ask "where do I even start" with writing the story, and I always say "right here". The emotional arc of the protagonist is what pumps life through your story’s veins. For your future audience, its the thing they're deep down there to see/read. It’s not enough for a story to be clever. An audience wants to FEEL something. So why not start with it? Make sure it's in there. And then build the rest of the layers on top of it.

But getting to that deep emotional underbelly, the Heart of The Story, is the part writers most often get confronted and in their heads about. Which is why this intensive comes at the work sideways. Instead of encouraging writers to figure things out mentally, this program will act as a guided journey to help writers FEEL their way into the story, the way an actor would. While offering a loving and empathetic writing coach/community to support you in going deeper than you knew you could go.

What you can expect...

Over the course 8 weeks we’ll guide you, and your fellow writers, in how to dive right into the shoes of your protagonist. To see your protagonist's world - what happens to them, how they grow and change, and where they’ll ultimately end up - via THEIR eyes. Think of it like the google street view of your story. You’ll dive inside the POV of your protagonist and feel your way through. Seeing whatever there is to see. And in the end you’ll be left with:

•  A knowing of exactly how your protagonist would react to any story element. Any situation.
• A deeper understanding of what needs to happen with your plot, and your supporting characters, in order to get where you want your story to go.

What the program provides...

• 8 live group calls where you'll participate in the guided exercises and spotlight coaching right in the room (no time for over thinking)
• Lifetime access to the recordings of the 8 sets of prompts
• Lifetime access to the Loving The Process writers network with unlimited chat
• Daily co-writing calls (for accountability and to keep yourself in the zone)
• A 30 minute follow up coaching call with Holly Payberg-Torroija to unpack all that you saw in the 8 weeks 

Doing this type of experiential intensive at the beginning of your storytelling process,  gives your gut creative instincts the chance to reign supreme. It forces you to draw answers from your heart, rather than your head. And I believe that’s where the magic is. 

So hop in. We'll get to the heart of the story fast, which will make the rest of your writing process so much easier.