This book is ment to be APPLIED. While some books you can simply absorb the necessary information and move on, here it is not the case. The template in Eric's paradigm is ment to be studied and mulled over. Mastery of its content applied to the vast quantities of scripts in identifying there story structure elements. Even if you've already bought into another system of screenwriting structure (a.k.a, John Truby) I would still strongly recommend giving it a chance. Plot is story, it's amazing to see how this system Eric has devised/found applies to so many (if not all good) stories. If you aren't Steven King and can't unbury the treasures of your story, or simply don't have the time. Invest in the formula - it won't be everything you need but it will point you to exactly where you need to be.

It has always been for me that by reading books such as "Story Solution" I gain a better understanding of myself and others. This book, more than any other, is helping me to write my screenplay. It is definitely required reading if your going to write any story.

packed with useful information

I held off writing a review of this book for some time. It's take on how to craft a screenplay is new and I didn't want to rush to judgement. Having read the book and worked with it's paradigm, I can say it is perhaps the most effective tool for crafting a focused, hero-driven script I've seen to date. At first glance, this book appears deceptively simple. It's contents and ideas are communicated cleanly and without excess. There's none of the asides I've seen in so many other writing books, asides which usually end up being nothing more that trips down memory lane for a writer trying to highlight moments in their own career. None of that. It's all about communicating Edson's ideas and his remarkable new paradigm. Do not be confused as others who've reviewed the book seem to be. This is not a formula for writing the perfect script. The screenwriting marketplace is full of books that say "you must do this" or "you must do that" by "X" page to create a successful script. This is, as I've said, a paradigm. It takes into account that there must be wiggle room on where certain elements of a story should appear to make a story work. Formulas tend to be far more rigged. I suggest people take time to try to work with the idea of Hero Goals for a while before they rush to judgement. If you really work at it, you'll see this is no simple tool. The idea of Hero Goals forces you to create a logical, connected stream of events that lead the Hero from one task to another in pursuit of a goal. Used wisely, this can be shaped to take any story to a deeper place than one might expect. The idea of Hero Goals forces you to think your story through in ways no other concept has put forth, at least in my opinion. If you use this concept wisely, there will be no floundering around as you muddle your way through Act II. How many times have we all suffered through that torture in the past? Most screen writing books seem to accept the mire that Act II becomes. Not this one. It begs you to spend the time plotting everything out before you put pen to paper. More importantly, applied well, it almost guarantees your hero will not be passive, the curse of so many first drafts. I've always been told, once you've done your homework, writing the script is the fun part. That has rarely been the case before. Using Hero Goals can make for some frustrating days, even weeks, as you do your homework and find the simple, connecting logic between each goal sequence, but once done, writing the script is truly easier and far more enjoyable.

Excellent book for keeping your story moving forward and not going off track. Highly recommend this book.

This is one of the best screenwriting books I own, (and I own a lot of them). It gives you an in depth understanding of the necessary story elements to write a successful script. If you are a movie goer, you will find yourself nodding your head, as you recognize the ideas, elements and devices that each good movie you have seen possesses, but is somehow hard to recognize as you sit down at to write yourself. I highly recommend this book.

As screenwriters, we often start with a great premise or an unforgetable hero. We know some of the conflicts our character must endure in his goal pursuit and the perfect climax. Often though, we are lost in Act II as we work out all the series of events that must take this character through his or her trials. This book will help screenwriters find their second act, and furthermore, help writers avoid passive heroes (a common problem). Are the steps easy to learn? As with anything, it requires a little dedication and effort. You have to approach the book with a sincere desire to learn why other screenplays have been successful. The book breaks down the individual hero goal sequences from numerous films. Edson shows how an active hero goes through phases in his journey, but never ceases to employ some type of effort to attain the goal. Once you analyze the pattern, easily found in many major films, you can see why a book like this was an essential addition to any discussion of film structure. Also, it's a good troubleshooting guide for rewriting a script. Edson's section on character will help you find the missing link between your character arc and his goal pursuit. Or perhaps you're having trouble establishing a midpoint, leading up to the finals strive towards your Act II turning point. Use the sequences to decipher where your screenplay leads your character and how. Then you'll be able to isolate how certain scenes might not build to this midpoint or the turning point in a dramatic way. Thus, this book proves an important text for any serious screenwriter looking for a solidly structured screenplay with active heroes and a high stakes, engaging goal pursuit.

An absolute must for writers who utilize and respect the use of an outline. These tools can be used at the micro and macro level which I really enjoy. You can get some help with a brief outline, or use it to create an extremely detailed point-by-point plot with character arcs built-in and ready to go. A great buy!

I had a lot of material to somehow shoehorn into an action plot with multiple subplots. External and internal journies with character growth. This book enabled me to break the story down to hero sequences that generated action and emotional character arcs. A big help

If you've ever read a book on screenwriting, you know that you're nowhere without some sort of story map, some sort of guideline to keep your writing sharp, tight, and filled with meaning so that the reader/audience will be captured at once and will have no choice but to accompany you on the journey you've created. Many of these "maps" fall short of actually helping you stay on course, sequence by sequence, so that there are no story gaps. Eric Edson's "The Story Solution" is the real deal. It's the only toolbox you'll need to help you create a compelling story with characters that jump off the page and get you noticed as a writer. After all, isn't that what we're all looking for?

Good book

With STORY SOLUTION, Eric Edson gives 20-23 (no less than, no greater than) steps that your protagonist must make to have a clear, tight, meaningful story. Don't worry, there's plenty of room for creativity; just check any of your favorite movies---they ALL follow these steps in one way or another. ***FOR BEGINNING SCREENWRITERS: Please don't make the same mistake as me in buying over a dozen books on screenwriting. To be honest, there's more than OVER a dozen good books on screenwriting. But, as happened with me, it's easy to get into READING about writing instead of doing what writers do…….write. For this reason, to save you time and money, I strongly recommend purchasing this book AND Inside Story: The Power of The Transformational Arc (by Dara Marks). The two books give you the BIGGEST advantage in avoiding two of the biggest pitfalls: Weak structure (Story Solution) and deep, emotional story that hooks us from the beginning with CHARACTERS that we care about (Inside Story). I don't mean to recommend the additional book as a knock on SS; I just really find that SS does an EXCELLENT job on structure. Inside Story does an EXCELLENT job on THEME, which Marks blends AMAZINGINGLY into story. But, to return to SS: Over 80% of the screenplays that have issues, poor structure and bland protagonists fill that pile. Make it to the next round of that famous screenwriting contest and purchase this book. Once again, a thoroughly enjoyable read. uabdu87@gmail.com

This is both a how-to guide and an I depth analysis of many blockbuster motion pictures. The 23 steps still follows classic 3 act structure with buildup to the midpoint and climax, so if you've read a lot of writing guides you may find there's not a whole lot that's new. But I've gotten a lot out of the simplistic way of looking at plot and logic in story telling. Eric Edson is an academic but doesn't write in academese or metaphor, just simple and clear descriptions and examples right out of mainstream movies.

This book starts off some great how-tos I found very useful, and then it goes into structure, and I made notes on the entire book. I first read it, and then went back and wrote up notes on what I was learning. Wonderful book.

I'm a professional screenwriter and took Eric Edson's class at UCLA several times when I was working towards my certificate in screenwriting because it was simply the best class in structure I'd ever taken. Each semester we analyzed new movies according to his breakdown and it really clicked for me more than just hearing about 3 acts, or 8 sequences that others teach. Eric Edson's breakdown is precise, accurate, and helped me rewrite every one of my scripts. I've used my notes from his classes all those years ago, and was thrilled to find his book at the UCLA bookstore the other day as it contains all the same class information plus much more. Once again, it is helping me figure out what I need to do to fix my latest scripts. Thank you Professor Edson. One of these days I'll owe you a shout out from the Academy Awards!

I don't like reading, but I love writing... Yes I know, those two don't typically work that way. However, I have read this book twice and review my notes in it every time I'm about to start working on a new idea for a screenplay.

Heroes. They drive your story. Whether their name is Shrek, Luke Skywalker or George Bailey - they are the characters the audience relates to, understands and becomes as the story progresses. You cannot cut your hero short. They MUST accomplish their goals. Eric Edson does a fantastic job of going over the basics of screenwriting (structure, dialogue, arc, heroes v. villains) before diving into the main concept of his book: The Hero Goal Sequence (c). This is where this book takes off. Diving headlong into the reality of heroes, Mr. Edson explores the core 23 Steps your hero MUST take to accomplish their goal. Using the Hero Goal Sequence (c) paradigm - Mr. Edson defines for the reader/writer the steps it will take for your hero to accomplish his/her goal. He then breaks them down per act, giving the reader/writer a clear understanding of what must happen when and where and for how long. In all the books I've read, I've not seen this definition taken to the lengths that Mr. Edson takes it. And as much the definition may cause others to pause - he gives plenty of examples to hold up his side of the argument. That your hero MUST take these steps to accomplish their goal(s), thus creating a story that resonates and has impact beyond just the final credits. And this is where the book excels. Using these examples as concrete evidence, it's hard to argue the points when he makes them so clearly. Then, taking it one step beyond, he uses exercises to help the reader/writer to really understand the concepts and take their hero(es) to another level. Many books on screenwriting will gloss over, or just lightly touch, on the hero's journey - Eric Edson dives in with a depth rarely seen. The Story Solution takes apart the journey with thoughtful insight and relevance - you'll be amazed at what you find.

Eric Edson was the best screenwriting teacher I had while at CSUN. His book is a reflection of that. Thanks for everything you taught me, Eric.

Eric Edson has unlocked a formula any aspiring/professional screenwriter or revisionist must have in their skill set. Many screenplays have great stories, but lack the pacing required to become a major Hollywood film. These proven 23 actions are seen time and time again throughout many major box office hits such as Die Hard and Collateral (to name a few). By using this method, any story will keep the viewer/reader on the edge of their seat wanting to know what will happen next. Hats off to Eric Edison for discovering a beautiful solution to one of the most common problems for any major Hollywood screenplay.

As an aspiring screenwriter I found "THE STORY SOLUTION" by Eric Edson an amazing resource. This book is an easy read and very helpful. I'm going back to my first three screenplays and applying what I learned from, Eric to improve my stories.

"Solution" alright ... for writers! Finally there's a book that provides essential tools for both beginner and expert writers alike. There are scores of screenwriting books out there (I've read most of them) but this one's approach should be read first before all of them. A cinematographer achieves focus via complex optics, lighting and lenses. For a writer to achieve focus, Mr. Edson explains how to critically focus on your hero's specific goals and purpose. To take your hero on an 'emotional' journey will definitely give you the writer (and reader/viewer) clarity like never before. "The Story Solution" has helped me to achieve better focus and structure with my screenwriting. I recommend that you read it, read it again and use it as a guide for all of your writing endeavors. Plus, it's fun!

Eric Edson's method is great for writing a heart-racing, fast-paced action/thriller. It won't work for every genre, but think "The Sons of Katie Elder" or "Back to the Future" type scripts. The five top books in my script writer's tool box is this one, Save the Cat by Blake Snyder, Story by Mckee, Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier and Anatomy of a Premise Line by Jeff Lyons. All different approaches for the same or different genres and types of scripts.

Edson has unlocked a code that is universal for dramatic storytelling. There may be those who resist this elixir but for those who are open and imbibe the serum, they will undoubtably be transformed. This book is an absolute masterwork. I consider it THE book on screenwriting because it does the one thing that none of the other scholars do: help the writer organize their story with a universal foundation. Other books will try quick fixes and tricks to give the author plug and play options, or philosophies that aim to steer or inspire a writer. This book does ALL of that at once with this simple solution. The hero goal sequences are imbedded into our psyche and part of our universal consciousness. Edson has uncovered this and we are lucky he has shared it.

Professor Eric Edsen, does a great job in presenting how best to write a film play ,or any fiction. He proposes a method that is at once difficult to write but easily understood in terms of how to do it. I am following his guidance and find it delightful, but know in my heart that it will take a while to get it right. Some of his writing processes may well apply to writing non-fiction as well. I highly recommend his book as it will certainly provide the insight from many years of writing experience and observations.

There are so many screenwriting books on the market, but there are few that bring a new approach to storytelling. This book will make you look at movies in a whole new way and give you the key understanding to help bring your ideas to life. If you know anything about screenplay writing, you're probably already aware of the 3 Act structure, blah, blah, blah...this book dives into the nuts and bolts as to the "how" and the "why". The author introduces us to Hero Goal Sequences, an approach I have found to be extremely helpful. Now, my piles and piles of notes of my scattered ideas now have the tools to become a successful screenplay.

Wonderful, helpful book on screenwriting. This book has helped me immensely in writing my own screenplay, which I quickly realized I was lost in and I needed some education on it. I took a lot of notes while reading The Story Solution, which is so practical in its guide for writing. It doesn't teach a formula for stories, but it very plainly says, "A hero must have this goal, then another, then these complications must happen," etc., and there are virtually infinite variations for that to keep the audience's interest. That to me makes it more helpful than more abstract books about screenwriting (though those can be very helpful, too). And it's a fun and exciting read. I loved it and will probably re-read it several times.

A great book. The book to have for any writer.

Excellent explicit guide to character development and one of the clearest distillations of structure that I have read, with examples from well known films

Eric Edson has uncovered a remarkable truth. His book is fresh, exciting, and groundbreaking. The concept of "Hero Goal Sequences" is incredibly insightful, and presents a process which must change the way screenwriters, agents, producers, and executives conduct business. His observations demystify the essence of successful film, and provide a common language whereby those involved in both the creative and business aspects of film-making may finally understand each another. This is a must read. I am convinced that it is to modern storytelling what Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" was to his time. It will be studied for years to come. Bravo, Mr. Edson. The crowds cheer a shiny, new chariot in what used to be a tired, dusty arena.

I've never reviewed anything on Amazon, but after reading this book, I felt compelled to do so. As an aspiring screenwriter, I searched high and low for the perfect book to guide me on my artistic journey. Needless to say, my shelves are full of numerous screenwriting books and materials. Although there are a few good books out there, most of them say the same thing... write in a three act structure, develop meaningful characters, and keep the audience entertained. Of course, all of this information is useful, but no other book will break down your story into 23 specific parts and walk you through each part in complete clarity like "The Story Solution" by Eric Edson. The good news is that my sense of story dramatically improved after reading this book. The bad news is that I wasted a lot of time and money searching for it. Save yourself the hassle and don't waste money on other screenwriting books (unless you're rich and can afford it). This is the only book you'll need!

This is a MUST READ for anyone out there wondering how to write a good screenplay. In today's world of too many screenplay books to choose from I'll make it easy for you - just read this one. It breaks things down simply and elegantly. There's a reason why some scripts are just okay and some scripts are truly great. This guy teaches you how to write the truly great kind. You will not be disappointed!!

This is the best book on story writing I found. I've bought and read about 50 or so. THis is so precise in it's advice. The examples are so clear as well. It can be used almost like a checklist to see if you have all the elements you need to lift your story up and make people lean forward and want to know what happens next.

This amazing book is exactly what its title promises. It details plot twists, or pivotal moments, specifically when and where they must be placed in order to drive the story. Mr. Edson does this by analyzing the plotting of a thousand successful movies and he succeeds in uncovering the crucial element build for a compelling narrative. It"s an exhaustive piece of work that can save any fiction writer from going down that long, wrong, road toward a dead end.

Really opened up the inner workings of narrative storytelling—I’m hooked. Now, I’m off to work with this little volume laying open while I type!

This is a book about plotting a decent story, specifically a screenplay (although the technique works equally well with any sort of story). Part One: Laying the Foundation gives the aspiring writer pointers on how to create a sympathetic hero, how to evoke emotions in your audience, and how to create a dynamic story with believable conflict. Part Two: Creating your Characters covers creating characters based on powerful mythic archetypes and writing dialogue that is integral to advancing your story. These first two sections of the book are full of helpful advice. But the next two sections are the real meat of the book: Part Three: Building Story Structure and Part Four: The Power of Hero Goal Sequences. Part Three covers Basic Screen Story Structure and The Character Growth Arc and Part Four covers The Power of Hero Goal Sequences in great detail - in amount of pages Part Four takes up about half the book. Yes, some of the stuff on basic structure has been said before in other books on plotting and screenwriting. But rarely so clearly and what sets "The Story Solution" apart from others is the amount of detail and the number of examples that Mr Edson uses to illustrate his points. For example, Chapter 14 takes the movie "Up" and breaks it down into the Hero Goal Sequences so the student can clearly see all the mechanics at work. Also the way each of the Hero Goal Sequences is broken down into the kind of events that might happen in each and why, with at least two examples from film scripts for each point. For the student this is pure gold. Didn't get the point after one example? Here's another. Can't see how it all fits together? Check out the movie plan of "Up" at the end of the book broken down into its component parts. The student is not left feeling stupid because she can't work out what the author means because Eric Edson doesn't just make a statement without backing it up. He doesn't assume you'll get it - he first tells you the point then shows it to you in action. Like another reviewer elsewhere I was irritated by the registered trademark symbol that occurred after every instance of the phrase "Hero Goal Sequences". It distracted me and was unnecessary. But that was a small thing compared to the usefulness of the book as a whole. Eric Edson knows his stuff and, what's more to the point, is great at communicating that to an audience. I recommend this book highly for anyone who wants to become a better writer.

Unless you're Robert Towne, William Goldman or Paddy Chayefsky, this is a book you absolutely need to understand how stories on the screen are structured and impactive.

An incredible help in crafting stories. I have just been using this book for a few weeks and it is transforming my book in progress already. Thank you for the inspiration and support this gives. I recommend it highly! J Frost

Never before have I read a book about story structure that is THIS BRILLIANT. I've read books that encourage authors to write down a character's likes and dislikes, behavioural nuances, as well as other such hogwash. These books fail to realise that a character liking the colour blue and who flicks their hair when they're nervous DOES NOT make for a compelling character. Advice like this has lead to an abundance of hair-flicking Mary Sue characters who passively wade through their story until they accidentally stumble across The End. Eric distills characters down to their most important function. Reality is, stories shouldn't happen DESPITE the characters- stories should happen BECAUSE of the characters. Eric shows us how to do things right. "23 Actions"... although this book does detail these 23 actions in the latter part of the book, everything before this is also gold. I could never figure out why my dialogue was always so weak. Now I know. If you've ever suffered from a plot that flounders and sags half-way through, or had trouble bringing stories to a proper resolution, or had difficulty writing characters who make things happen, or if you've even suffered from writer's block, I recommend reading this book. The only writers I WOULDN'T recommend this book for are those who 1) are half-way through a book already (because reading this book will make you want to scrap everything and start over again, or 2) are greatly opposed to the idea of planning out your story in advance. This book still leaves the hard work up to the writer. But Eric sets the writer on the correct path. Needless to say, I've applied Eric's advice to my own work, and it's already 100 times stronger for it. I can't believe that following the advice of one book has had such a dramatic effect on the quality of my storytelling.

Usual knowledge not found in any other screenwriting book I've read, and I've read many. An easy read with current examples in film.

The work in this book should do away forever to any excuses you make not to write. Now you have the path forward laid out to you in the brilliant light of discovery. Edson's easy to read analysis fills in the gaps left by other great pioneers on story structure, like Syd Field, John Truby and Chris Vogler. Finally, you are shown what to do to make any story idea come alive. We are all benefited by this remarkable book. Go forward. Read and succeed.

I have many writing reference books on my shelf, but this one seems to be resonating better then the others. Maybe it's because of the many examples; I don't know, just know that I'm enjoying this one more then some of the others I've read.

Stories are challenging to write, whether you’re a screenwriter or a novelist. You might have a good idea for how a story could begin, but the middle of the story tends to knock many writers off their game. There are many great books on story structure because structure is what helps many writers get through the slogging middle of their story. Eric Edson’s Story Solution looks at many of the most popular stories and films and digs deep into their underlying structure to show you how you can make structure work for your story. Edson begins the book by laying a solid foundation for storytelling and screenwriting in particular. He argues for storytellers to seek to give audience members an emotional experience through story. He shows how to do this by discussing the role of conflict in story and Story Solution Highlights Edson’s chapter on dialogue is top notch, giving 11 solid principles for writing great dialogue. This is also part of a section on creating great characters, which is also helpful. The most important section of the book is Edson’s Hero Goal Sequences paradigm. He breaks up the major moments of any story into 23 sequences. It’s a helpful paradigm because it shows how the protagonist of a story chases one smaller physical goal as a step toward his main goal until he receives some new information that marks the end of his pursuit of the smaller goal. The end of one goal sequence is followed by the next. I’ve always struggled with how to create sequences of scenes in my stories and how the scenes tie together. The Story Solution went a long way in helping me understand the sequence breakdown of a story. If you’re struggling with how to structure a story you’re working on, Story Solution is a great resource. Review copy provided by Michael Wiese Productions

excellent!

Eric Edson's book does a masterful job of taking a difficult and complex subject like story structure and breaks it down into an easy to comprehend rubric. I especially love the plethora of examples from past films showing his "Hero Goal Sequences" at work. Sure, Syd Field can tell you roughly where your act breaks could be in your script, but Edson's book delves deeper into the nitty-gritty of the path your hero needs to take to achieve their goal, and he does it wonderfully.

I have read over 200+ books on screenwriting, a most difficult craft to master (I am still on this long journey's path!), most such books rehash the same old same old. Regardless of whatever how-to book(s) on screenwriting you have read so far, get a copy of this book as soon as you can and read it cover to cover. Twice. Three times. Aristotle's three acts, and the typical 8 or so plot points one learns from Syd Field, Michael Hauge, and others is fine for some fundamentals. Then there are a few books that even teach structuring a film minute by minute (literally, as in 120 story beats, a book I read recently). This approach, 23 sequences or beats, seems like the best yet. I already created a template with the 23 actions each hero must take, plugged in my outlined beats for a supernatural thriller I am currently writing, and it worked perfectly. Kudos to the author, Eric Edson, who obviously knows the craft-- he has written many feature screenplays, and also is a professor of screenwriting at UCLA-- who better to get down to business and share wisdom on the craft of proper story development.

Makes sense. Have learned a lot as a writer from this.

Excellent. Every writer should have this book in his/her how-to library, preferably close by on his writing desk..

Extremely helpful, in all regards and at all stages.

Eric Edson backs up his Story Solution with deep and wide research of all the movies you've seen and many others. If you want to understand what makes a box office hit, read this book. I read it twice and took notes and it changed everything. Now I know why I enjoy some movies and could care less about others.

I've had the honor of being taught in person by this man, and I'm so happy that this book has finally been released. The techniques and lessons that you will learn from this book are very valuable to any writer. Whether you're trying to break on the scene or you're an already established writer, I will guarantee that you'll learn something that you didn't know before. GREAT READ!!!