do any of these writing problems sound familiar?

YOU END UP WITH... characters sitting around in cool places waiting for something to happen. They have a lot of bad days but it doesn't seem to add up to anything.

WHEN YOU REALLY NEED... a strong central conflict that packs a punch.


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YOU END UP WITH... a story that feels hollow, you're not sure why you're writing it or if it's worth writing at all.

WHEN YOU REALLY NEED... a meaningful, resonant story you care deeply about, and can't wait to share with people.


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YOU END UP WITH... a overwhelming mass of complicated ideas, and no idea which ones are the most important.

WHEN YOU REALLY NEED... the ability to shape your ideas into a powerful, compact story you can actually finish.


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YOU END UP WITH... a story that peters out and ends with a deafening, anti-climactic thud.

WHEN YOU REALLY NEED... to create a potent, satisfying climax.


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YOU END UP WITH... a headache trying to figure out your theme, and how to actually express it through the story.

WHEN YOU REALLY NEED... a simple, concrete way to weave the ideas you're passionate about into the narrative.


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YOU END UP... at the mercy of inspiration, stuck waiting for the right ideas to come to you.

WHEN YOU REALLY NEED... to be able to conjure and develop the ideas you need at will, WHEN you need them.


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YOU END UP... 50,000 words deep into a NaNoWriMo novel that's going absolutely nowhere.

WHEN YOU REALLY NEED... a method to turn it into the rich, character-driven story you imagined.

All of these problems are so, so normal

It's okay!

It's okay if you...

  • have been totally stuck in the past
  • have felt like you are only making glacial progress in your writing
  • have a drawer full of abandoned stories you just couldn't figure out


Nobody is born knowing how to properly craft a narrative, nobody taught you this in school!

I, like all writers, struggled with exactly the same things, in the beginning.

But crafting brilliant stories doesn't have to be this hard, it does NOT have to be a total headache.

It's time to turn over a new page, and learn how to turn your ideas into fully-fledged, binge-worthy stories.

enrol now

Enrollment for 2019 closes soon

Don't miss out

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Who is Rachael Stephen?

Headmistress of the Story Magic Academy

Well, I've been described as the mountain guide of NaNoWriMo, the queen of brainstorming and single biggest Plot Embryo nerd on the planet.

My free YouTube videos on storycraft have garnered over half a million views and inspired thousands of writers.


Rachael Stephen - the Plot Embryo System


The Plot Embryo System changed my life, and that's why I'm fiercely devoted to getting other storytellers extraordinary results with it.

(And of course, when I'm not doing that, I'm working on my own novels and stories!)

Skip the filler and get straight to crafting strong stories.

In the Story Magic Academy, I'll teach you my complete Plot Embryo System - a proven approach to writing stories that gets powerful results.

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Let's see how it breaks down

The Curriculum

✔︎ 1: How to Generate Ideas

I'll teach you my foolproof method to generate ideas and problem solve issues that come up as you're writing. Mastering this is key to becoming an unstoppable writer.


✔︎ 2: How to Create Story Seeds

No more relying solely on random inspiration and dreams! Next, you'll learn how to generate story seeds (also known as concepts or premises) that feel fizzy and thrilling. We'll also cover how to discern good ideas from bad ones, and how to pick ideas you can actually write.


✔︎ 3: The Universal Pattern

Why do certain story structures work, and others don't? You'll learn where the Plot Embryo comes from and why it's so powerful. I'll also show you how to master the bird's eye view of your story, and how to avoid diving into the weeds too quickly and getting overwhelmed with the details.


✔︎ 4: Protagonists's Journey - Theme

You'll master theme once and for all, learning to focus on what truly matters to you and how to make sure that's expressed naturally through your narrative.


✔︎ 5: Protagonist's Journey - Conflict

You'll learn how to establish a central conflict which packs a punch, and creates an addictive suspense and tension through the story.


✔︎ 6: Character and Time

You'll learn how to map out the most important aspects of your protagonist's personality and how they'll impact the narrative. Then we'll dive into how time flows between the points of the plot embryo, to create effective pacing for your story.


✔︎ 7: Complete your Plot Embryo

Now it's time to complete the plot embryo. You'll learn my top secret method for generating truly magical brainstorming questions for every corner of the plot embryo and receive everything you need to finalise your plot.


✔︎ 8: The Antagonistic Relationship

Here you'll learn how to create a wildly engaging conflict between a protagonist and antagonist, what kinds of protagonists and antagonists you can have, and when you need a tragic plot embryo.


✔︎ 9: Tragedy

Heroic and Tragic Plot Embryos both have their place in your stories. I'll teach you how they differ from one another, and when you'll want to use each. I'll breakdown exactly what's different about creating a tragic plot embryo, and how to do it.


✔︎ 10: Creating a Story Solar System

How many plot embryos should your story have? (Spoiler alert: it's usually more than one!)

In our final lesson, you'll discover how to manage multiple plot embryos for main plots and subplots and how to weave them together into one complete narrative.

We'll also dive into some steps to start turning your plot embryos into drafts and fully-fledged stories.

Inside the Story Magic Academy

  • Video lectures

    These weekly lessons will guide you through the entire Plot Embryo System. You'll have lifetime access to rewatch them and take your own notes.

  • Rachael's Study

    LIVE Q&A sessions every week. Think of it as coming to my study in the Story Department for a seminar or office hours. We'll talk about how you're assignment's going and I'll answer your questions.

  • Assignment PDFs

    Your assignment for each week will be contained in a downloadable PDF for printing and easy access.

Bonuses

  • Printable Worksheets

    These worksheets and templates will save you time, so you're ready to jump into your assignments right away.

  • Exclusive Student Discord Group

    Discuss the lessons and your progress with other students in our private Academy chatroom, hosted on the Discord app

Alchemise theoretical knowledge and practical skill into story wisdom

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Choose your ideal payment plan

FAQ

  • How is the Academy different from your free videos?

    In my free videos I share little pieces of the puzzle, whereas in the Academy, you get full access to my ENTIRE system for story creation, from A-Z. You'll find there's SO much more depth to it than I can cover in a 15 minute video! My videos also tend to focus more on the theory side, whereas the Academy includes the whole practical process for applying that theory, so that you're confident in being able to finish any plot embryo you start.

  • Can I take my current project through the Story Magic Academy?

    No. The Academy is designed to teach you to generate the seed of a story idea, and turn it into a full plot embryo (or a few), so that you learn how to apply the system from start to finish. You'll be creating A BRAND NEW STORY over the course. Applying the system to a story you've already started is a form of REVISION, and is MUCH more difficult when you've never completed the process before. Once you've completed the Academy, you'll be equipped to apply what you've learned to any other WIPs you want.

  • Do I have to WRITE the story I create during the Academy?

    No! It's totally up to you. Consider it practise and learning and shelve it, or dive into drafting for NaNoWriMo - it's your choice.

  • What kind of writer is this for?

    All storytellers welcome. You can apply this system to novels, screenwriting, short fiction and and stories of any other medium. The Plot Embryo System works for all genres of stories, from romance to speculative fiction, from murder mysteries to literary works.

  • How much experience with writing do I need?

    If you're a beginner, the Story Magic Academy will help get you started and hit the ground running for your first stories. If you're a more experienced writer, the Story Magic Academy will help you save time, correct bad habits and work around any walls that develop in your writing.

  • Will this teach me how to outline?

    A plot embryo is in itself a kind of outline, but you may wish to transcribe your plot embryos into another format before or during writing. The Story Magic Academy does not currently cover this process.

  • When will the lessons be?

    Lectures will be released every Thursday for ten weeks. Rachael's Study will be live every Tuesday.

Ready to write your best NaNoWriMo draft ever?

Planning on doing NaNoWriMo 2019? The Academy ends mid-October, perfectly positioned for you to put the finishing touches on your plot embryo, and then write your first draft in November.

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What folks are saying...

“I did Nanowrimo last year, and felt like I'd tread water for 50,000 words. After I paid for the Academy I had this moment of "Did I just sign up for something I don't really need?" Because I've watched all Rachael's videos. But every week of the Academy, in the middle of class, I was like "Oh my god Rachael, I get it finally!" I've always felt like I didn't have enough ideas. Now I know I'm not devoid of ideas, I can actually sit down and take a day and create a bunch of stories. And I feel so excited about this story, I look at my plot embryos like "Oh my God, this is so totally a full novel here!" It feels so cocky to say it, but I feel really confident and competent that I can go forward and with any story seed I have, I can turn that into a fully fleshed out narrative again. I'm starting to feel like "I can actually do this in a day next time." The videos are just the tip of the iceberg. And the Academy is everything underneath that. If anyone has already used the plot embryo method to craft stories, it's so worth the investment to get the bigger picture.”

Writer and Academic Writing Consultant

Mikaela


 

“I started writing my second novel, and I just kept hitting roadblock after roadblock after roadblock. I was fifty thousand words into a book that was going nowhere. When the Story Magic Academy opened, I wondered if it would be any different from Rachael’s YouTube videos, because I can already watch those for free. But it felt right. So I signed up. And breaking down the quadrants of the Plot Embryo helped so, so much, because Rachael’s YouTube videos didn’t go into that same depth. Those specific, actionable steps were probably my biggest Wow! moment - like the missing link. For the past year, I felt dead inside thinking about the building blocks of this new book. And now… now I’m lying in bed at night, excited, thinking about my story. I’m taking lots of notes, I’m brainstorming - the middle of my story feels way less intimidating. I wish I’d been able to take this course years ago. I feel so much more confident now. Even nearly two months after the end of this class, I still feel just as strongly that it was one of the best things I've ever done for myself.”

Writer and Design Director

Tabetha


 

“I realised the story I was working on was very plotty, but it had no theme or character development. I knew I didn't want that, but every time I tried to work on it I kept getting stuck. I was worried I wouldn't have time for the Story Magic Academy, I didn't know if I'd be able to keep up with the assignments. But I thought, "You're always going to be busy, so just do it!" I knew in theory that brainstorming would help when I got stuck, but I hadn't actually done it a lot in practise. The Academy really forced me to properly brainstorm more - I think my brain adjusted to it quite quickly (or I just got lucky), because when I unlocked the antagonist of my story, a whole bunch of other stuff also fell into place. I had just been guessing, and I'm not guessing anymore. The Academy has given me a clear idea of where to start. And I still get stuck sometimes, but now I know *what to do* when I get stuck. The course was 100 percent worth it, despite my insane schedule. Especially for somebody like me who hasn't written anything and didn't know what the hell I was doing. I learned a lot. Information is valuable, and the Academy was very valuable information. This is stuff I'll be able to use forever.”

Writer and Social Worker

Tatiana

Enrollment for this semester ends soon

Don't miss out for 2019

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Life's too short to struggle through writing boring, filler-stuffed stories.

30-day Money Back Guarantee

If you're unhappy for any reason, we'll give you your money back.

Ready to master the plot embryo and become a story magician?

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