Welcome to the February newsletter for Jen Grisanti Consultancy Inc. Where is our gold when it comes to telling strong stories that connect us to our audience? How do we learn to tell stories that touch our spirits and make our hearts come alive? Compelling stories often come from a truthful place that lives and breathes inside the emotional well of the storyteller. Your emotional well is your gold when it comes to bringing your truth to the page and learning how to fictionalize it. This is not about coming from an autobiographical place. It is about coming from an authentic place, connecting with your life experience and bringing your voice into your characters. History has shown us that rewards come to those gifted writers who know how to delve into themselves and bring their truth to the page. An excellent example of this is the Oscar-nominated film The King's Speech and its writer,David Seidler. As a child, Seidler used to stutter. When I watched this film, I felt more emotionally connected to the plight of this character than any other recent film's protagonist. For more, go to my BLOG. My Past Blogs for The Huffington Post
RECENT MEDIA Shameless: A Modern Day Telling of Cinderella by Jen Grisanti TV Fanatic - Guest Commentary on The Good Wife by Jen Grisanti
STORY LINE: FINDING GOLD IN YOUR LIFE STORY
I am very EXCITED to announce that my book STORY LINE: FINDING GOLD IN YOUR LIFE STORY is available starting today for shipping on Amazon.com and available in bookstores on March 1, 2011 and you can learn more about it by watching this video promo:  The more people who order between now and March 1st, the better. Also, if you do buy it, I would LOVE it if you could post a review on amazon.com. This is a whole new world for me. I appreciate your support! My hope is that STORY LINE unleashes in you a whole new way to approach your story. Story Line: Finding Gold In Your Life Story is not just another "How To" on scriptwriting. In this book, Jen Grisanti encourages an examination of one's own feelings and experiences in order to find truthful, universal moments. And then teaches how to take these personal moments and fictionalize them into compelling, sellable stories. An honest, soul baring approach to scriptwriting. When you're through reading this book you will have learned as much about yourself as you have about writing scripts. A must read for beginners and veterans alike. Jason Filardi, Screenwriter 17 Again, Bringing Down The House It's one thing for people to advise that you "Write what you know". It's quite another to show you how to do just that. Jen Grisanti succeeds in her new book, STORY LINE: Finding Gold in Your Life Story. The insights and exercises in STORY LINE are dangerous in that they may well shatter the way you've been writing and send you in a whole new direction - which would also quite wonderful for you and for your audiences. Pamela Jaye Smith Author, international speaker & consultant, award-winning producer-director MYTHWORKS founder, Alpha Babe Academy co-founder www.pamelajayesmith.com www.alphababeacademy.com Story Line: Finding Gold In Your Life Story reminds you that you are not just telling the story, but that you are the story. Anthony Grieco, co-author of The Pocket Screenwriting Guide: 120 Tips To Fade Out FIRST BOOK REVIEW FOR STORY LINE WRITTEN BY ANN BALDWIN In Jen Grisanti's newest book, Story Line Finding Gold In Your Life Story (Michael Wiese Productions), she leads you on a treasure hunt into the hidden caves within yourself and teaches you how to mine them for the golden keys that open the connections between you, your stories, and an audience.  You begin the journey by observing and creating maps, also known as loglines, from your own life experiences. Jen goes into the depths of the four key elements within each logline (set-up, dilemma, action, & goal) by not only sharing her own personal experiences as examples, but also includes films like The Hurt Locker, Up In The Air, Avatar, Pretty Woman, The Blind Side, Good Will Hunting and Rocky, along with T.V. shows like Dexter, Mad Men, The Good Wife, The Sopranos, Lost, Big Love and Glee. For more of this review, press here
BOOK SIGNINGS FOR STORY LINE: FINDING GOLD IN YOUR LIFE STORY
March 3, 2011 - The Writers Store from 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. There will be a panel discussion titled Finding Your Voice In Story: A Panel Discussion on Writing Unforgettable Characters for the Big and Small Screen. Panelists include; Me, Diane Drake (WHAT WOMEN WANT, ONLY YOU), and Pilar Alessandra (On the Page). It is being moderated by Laura Brennan. Sign up here . March 19, 2011 - UCLA after my seminar How To Tell A Story That Sells March 24, 2011 - MASSE from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (There will be cupcakes & champagne.) April 15, 2011 - The Drama Book Shop in NYC from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
STORYWISE SEMINAR: HOW TO TELL A STORY THAT SELLS
UCLA - Saturday, March 19th 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
In this class, we will go over the components of what makes a strong story in TV and features. (For a list of what this includes, click here.)  I will be teaching from my book STORY LINE: FINDING GOLD IN YOUR LIFE STORY. Books will be available for sale after the seminar. I will also be putting together panelists from the feature and TV world as a way to get you the most current information. I currently have a writer from DEXTER and a writer from THE GOOD WIFE. STORYWISE SPEC AND PILOT TELESEMINARS SPEC TELESEMINAR BEGINS SUNDAY, MARCH 27th at 4:00 p.m. PILOT TELESEMINAR BEGINS SUNDAY, MAY 15th at 4:00 p.m. There is a promo on YouTube that explains it in more detail that was produced by Superneato Productions. What if you could write a TV spec and pilot script in 10 weeks under the guidance of a veteran studio executive who has worked in the business for over 18 years and has successfully helped to staff over 15 top prime time shows and is currently the Writing Instructor for NBC's Writers on the Verge. Would you be interested?
 Sign ups have begun. Last year, there were 100 people participating in this teleseminar. Only 5 people for the spec teleseminar and 5 people for the pilot teleseminar will be able to sign up at the upper level. So, if you want feedback every week on your scripts, sign up ASAP.
* There are only two spots left for the the Pilot Teleseminar at Level 2 and 2 spots left of the Spec Teleseminar at Level 2. Level 1 is open.
For more info, click here.
Testimonials For Storywise Seminars and Teleseminars 
MovieMaker Institute - Screenwriting Success Conference
2001 Hunter College, New York Moviemaker, the best independent movie magazine in the world, announces the Screenwriting Success Conference. Speakers include; Jen Grisanti, Patrick A. Horton, PhD, Marilyn Horowitz and Pen Densham. Topics include; How To Write a Sellable Screenplay, Mastering the Art of Storytelling, Structuring Your Script, Writing Dynamic Dialogue, What Makes A Great Logline, Pitching Your Project, etc. To sign up, press here FRIDAY NIGHT DRINKS The next Friday Night Drinks is Friday, March 4, 2011 at the X Bar at the Century Plaza Hotel at 2025 Ave. of the Stars. These events have had a huge turnout the last three months. I recommend that you take advantage of this and come out and connect.
Life has no smooth road for any of us; and in the bracing atmosphere of a high aim the very roughness stimulates the climber to steadier steps, till the legend, over steep ways to the stars, fulfills itself.
W. C. Doane
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