STORY DESIGN · THROUGH A SCREENWRITER’S EYES
Building Better Stories
Build the story beneath the scenes: character engines, an A-story spine, and the relationship between A and B plots.
WRITERS. STORIES. POSSIBILITIES.
Your story.
Stronger, together.
Build a stronger novel through a screenwriter’s eyes, practical tools, and a creative community that meets you where you are.
Bring the spark, the messy middle, or the draft that feels stuck. We’ll help you find your next useful step.
Get to know the Story ClinicYour voice matters here. So does your pace.
01 / FIND YOUR STARTING POINT
A little story check-in.
Choose what you want to strengthen. Find a resource you can use today.
A USEFUL PLACE TO BEGIN
Story Engine Check
Make the connection between desire, opposition, and stakes clearer before you expand the draft.
A starting point you can change at any time.
Your story, your authorship Useful feedback, offered with care Room for every starting point
02 / THE COMMUNITY
A stronger story starts
with being heard.
Story Clinic is a place to discover what’s keeping your story small and explore what it could become. We use story structure, character choices, reader expectations, and thoughtful conversation to make the next revision clearer.
Debi Brady brings a writer’s curiosity and a screenwriter’s eyes. You bring the story only you can tell. The workshops, conversations, and membership experience live in our Skool community.
OUR PROMISE TO EACH OTHER
Meet the community on Skool (opens a new tab)Inclusion. Trust. Respect for the writer.
Feedback on the work, with care for the person. No shaming or call-outs. Dignity belongs to every member.
03 / LEARN WITH YOUR STORY
From insight to practice.
Explore the workshop themes. Check the Skool classroom and calendar for access, materials, and current sessions.
READER FIT · GENRE · POSITIONING
Six Tests Before Building Your Story
Explore the shelf your book belongs on, its familiar pleasures, and the evidence that readers want what you’re building.
COMMUNITY PRACTICE · THOUGHTFUL FEEDBACK
Story Diagnosis & Discussion
Bring a story question into conversation. Explore the cause of a sticking point and choose a revision worth trying.
Work on the story you have. Bring your questions and leave with a clearer next step.
04 / THE STORY TOOLKIT
Make the next revision clearer.
Small exercises for big story questions. Your notes stay in this page during your visit; refreshing clears them.
5–10 min
Story Engine Check
Connect a character’s desire to opposition, stakes, and a choice that moves the story.
5–10 min
Character Engine
Explore the want, need, contradiction, and difficult choice behind a compelling character.
15–20 min
Eight-Beat Story Spine
Map the major turns of your A-story and find the bridge between one decision and the next.
10–15 min
Reader & Genre Check
Use six practical tests to connect your premise with the pleasures your reader is looking for.
These prompts support your judgment. You decide what belongs in your novel.
05 / FIND YOUR WAY IN
Different paths.
The same belonging.
Choose the depth of participation that fits your goals. Respect, encouragement, and a place in the conversation belong to everyone.
Free
A welcoming starting point for finding your story and your people.
- Community conversations and encouragement
- Selected learning resources
- Space to explore at your own pace
Founding free members can remain free while they stay in the community. Current joining terms are on Skool.
Explore the community (opens a new tab)Premium
Structured learning for writers who want to go deeper with their novel.
- Access to all courses
- Deeper workshop learning
- Practical tools for story development
Choose deeper participation when it fits. Confirm current access and membership details in Skool.
Explore Premium on Skool (opens a new tab)Writer’s Room
A focused collaborative path for writers ready to work more deeply together.
- Story development in a writers’ room
- Collaborative feedback and discussion
- Fit and readiness considered together
In development. Application-based; membership alone does not secure a place.
Discuss fit with Debi on Skool (opens a new tab)Build-Your-Own-School
A mentoring path for people who want to build a learning community of their own on Skool.
- Support shaping your community purpose
- Mentoring with Debi
- A separate path from the Writer’s Room
In development. Application-based; discuss your goals and current availability with Debi.
Discuss your goals on Skool (opens a new tab)Current access and membership terms are explained in Skool. The two VIP paths are application-based and in development; discuss fit and availability with Debi there.
THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES ON SKOOLBring your story.
Bring your story.
Find your people.
This is your place to explore. Our Skool community is where we learn, work on our stories, and support one another.
Visit Story Clinic on Skool (opens a new tab)