Why am I passionate about this?

I discovered my love for story early, growing up on TV and movies. I spent a good chunk of my teen years sitting in the dark watching everything that came out, especially foreign films. It’s safe to say that I learned the basics of storytelling by watching all the greats, from Hitchcock to David Lean to Kubrick. It’s no wonder I became a screenwriter rather than a novelist. But when I realized that story is story, regardless of the story form (book, movie, or TV commercial) a whole other world opened to me and my talent for story blossomed. Over the years, I grew this talent and passion and launched a career in Hollywood. 


I wrote...

Rapid Story Development: How to Use the Enneagram-Story Connection to Become a Master Storyteller

By Jeff Lyons,

Book cover of Rapid Story Development: How to Use the Enneagram-Story Connection to Become a Master Storyteller

What is my book about?

This is the only craft-book that brings together the most powerful model of human personality (the Enneagram System) and classic…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Anatomy of Genres: How Story Forms Explain the Way the World Works

Jeff Lyons Why did I love this book?

Every story belongs to a genre and genre is a part of story development. I found this book to be the best available explaining what genres are and how they work to support the process of story development.

Truby’s book lays out each major story genre, its beats, dynamics, and place in the world of storytelling. This is an essential reference every writer needs on their bookshelf.

By John Truby,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Anatomy of Genres as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A guide to understanding the major genres of the story world by the legendary writing teacher and author of The Anatomy of Story, John Truby.

Most people think genres are simply categories on Netflix or Amazon that provide a helpful guide to making entertainment choices. Most people are wrong. Genre stories aren’t just a small subset of the films, video games, TV shows, and books that people consume. They are the all-stars of the entertainment world, comprising the vast majority of popular stories worldwide. That’s why businesses―movie studios, production companies, video game studios, and publishing houses―buy and sell them. Writers…


Book cover of Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere)

Jeff Lyons Why did I love this book?

For years everyone thought the only two options for writing were to pants or plot, i.e., wing it or outline. Turns out there is another method and Lisa Cron lays that out in her book. 

I found this to be a truly valuable resource based on science and creative process. Cron’s book takes you from idea to actual writing using an innovative and original take on the conventional writing process.

By Lisa Cron,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Story Genius as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Following on the heels of Lisa Cron's breakout first book, Wired for Story, this writing guide reveals how to use cognitive storytelling strategies to build a scene-by-scene blueprint for a riveting story.

It’s every novelist’s greatest fear: pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into writing hundreds of pages only to realize that their story has no sense of urgency, no internal logic, and so is a page one rewrite. 

The prevailing wisdom in the writing community is that there are just two ways around this problem: pantsing (winging it) and plotting (focusing on the external plot). Story coach Lisa Cron…


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Book cover of Mindleap: A Fresh View of Education Empowered by Neuroscience and Systems Thinking

Mindleap by Jim Brown,

In this thoroughly researched and exquisitely crafted treatise, Jim Brown synthesizes the newest understandings in neuroscience, developmental psychology, and dynamical systems theory for educators and others committed to nurturing human development.

He explains complex concepts in down-to-earth terms, suggesting how these understandings can transform education to engender optimal learning and…

Book cover of Poetics

Jeff Lyons Why did I love this book?

Beginning, middle, and an end—what writer doesn’t know about these three concepts? Well, Aristotle is the guy who wrote about these ideas in his book, and thousands of years later we’re still using them and thinking about them.

The foundations of modern literature and theater rest on this book and every writer should be familiar with its ideas and concepts. Story is story, and Aristotle started the ball rolling for everyone who is interested in storytelling.

By Aristotle, Joe Sachs (translator),

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Poetics as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One of the most powerful, perceptive and influential works of criticism in Western literary history

In his near-contemporary account of classical Greek tragedy, Aristotle examines the dramatic elements of plot, character, language and spectacle that combine to produce pity and fear in the audience, and asks why we derive pleasure from this apparently painful process. Taking examples from the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, the Poetics introduced into literary criticism such central concepts as mimesis ('imitation'), hamartia ('error') and katharsis ('purification'). Aristotle explains how the most effective tragedies rely on complication and resolution, recognition and reversals. The Poetics has…


Book cover of The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers

Jeff Lyons Why did I love this book?

This book is an old standard but one of the best books ever written on how to write. More about the writing process than story, per se, it is still essential for any writer interested in upping their story development game. Don’t be put off by the focus on “young writers” in the title; this is for old and young.

Gardner systematically guides the reader through both theory and practicum, delivering a primer on how to not just write solid fiction but how to think like a writer. I love this book.

By John Gardner,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Art of Fiction as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This classic guide, from the renowned novelist and professor, has helped transform generations of aspiring writers into masterful writers—and will continue to do so for many years to come.  
 
John Gardner was almost as famous as a teacher of creative writing as he was for his own works. In this practical, instructive handbook, based on the courses and seminars that he gave, he explains, simply and cogently, the principles and techniques of good writing. Gardner’s lessons, exemplified with detailed excerpts from classic works of literature, sweep across a complete range of topics—from the nature of aesthetics to the shape of…


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Book cover of The Model Spy: Based on the True Story of Toto Koopman’s World War II Ventures

The Model Spy by Maryka Biaggio,

The Model Spy is based on the true story of Toto Koopman, who spied for the Allies and Italian Resistance during World War II.

Largely unknown today, Toto was arguably the first woman to spy for the British Intelligence Service. Operating in the hotbed of Mussolini's Italy, she courted danger…

Book cover of The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers

Jeff Lyons Why did I love this book?

It defines the basic structure of every myth and is a foundational work in the myth genre. I have always turned to this book for reminders on how a “journey story” should work on the page, and it never fails to inform. 

The book is a distillation of the work of legendary mythologist Joseph Campbell and his theory of the monomyth, or the single story underlying all human mythology. Vogler’s book is accessible and practical and another essential for every writer's toolbox.

By Christopher Vogler,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked The Writer's Journey as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Originally an influential memo Vogler wrote for Walt Disney Animation executives regarding The Lion King, The Writer’s Journey details a twelve-stage, myth-inspired method that has galvanized Hollywood’s treatment of cinematic storytelling. A format that once seldom deviated beyond a traditional three-act blueprint, Vogler’s comprehensive theory of story structure and character development has met with universal acclaim, and is detailed herein using examples from myths, fairy tales, and classic movies. This book has changed the face of screenwriting worldwide over the last 25 years, and continues to do so.


Explore my book 😀

Rapid Story Development: How to Use the Enneagram-Story Connection to Become a Master Storyteller

By Jeff Lyons,

Book cover of Rapid Story Development: How to Use the Enneagram-Story Connection to Become a Master Storyteller

What is my book about?

This is the only craft-book that brings together the most powerful model of human personality (the Enneagram System) and classic story structure best practices into a wholistic approach for developing any story—regardless of genre. This book doesn’t just teach bulletproof story structure; it also teaches the basic Enneagram System so you can build seamless characters. 

The Enneagram-Story Connection points your nose to solving some of the thorniest story development problems, like how to find the perfect opposition, how to create the best all-is-lost moment, how to avoid the mushy middle, and how to unravel the perfect character motivation for any protagonist. Following a proven methodology, my book superpowers your story development process and is an essential tool for any storyteller’s toolbox. 

Book cover of The Anatomy of Genres: How Story Forms Explain the Way the World Works
Book cover of Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere)
Book cover of Poetics

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