The real world stands at a crossroads.

Your audience needs your story.

As we write a new chapter, it’s essential to know how to use your imagination, skill, and passion to inspire change…

Take Back Control of Your Authorship

Turn Your Ideas Into Fiction That Shapes Reality

Turn Ideas Into Fiction That Shapes Reality

If you could write a novel to influence the next generation, would you?

INTRODUCING

Your Novel Adventure: Plotting By The Seat Of Your Pants

ENROLLMENT CLOSED

Program Dates: April 1 – 30, 2023

A 4-week program to explore, discover, develop, and create an epic scene outline for your novel… with rapid transformation guaranteed!!

Collaborate with AI to plot a new course, bring characters to life, and have a map to guide your writing from the opening scene to the final chapter.

Join the next cohort!

If you’re tired of dreaming of having a breakout story…
If you’ve tried and failed before…
If you have a novel idea that’s waiting to bloom…
Or if you’re ready to write something worth having a conversation about…

YOUR MISSION
Should you Choose to Accept It…

If you want to use the power of storytelling to craft fiction that transforms your readers’ lives, you’re invited to join me in the beta program of YOUR NOVEL ADVENTURE: Plotting By the Seat of Your Pants…

Your mission — should you choose to accept it — is to validate, design, and create an Epic Scene Outline for your novel in 4 weeks or less, so you can shake writer’s block, plot a page-turner, and leave readers with a lasting impact.

And we’ll be doing it together with inspiration, guidance, and feedback every step of the way. The quest is Your Novel Adventure after all.

This means you’ll embark on a fiction expedition… to dive into the universe of storycraft, harnessing your creative force as a lens into the real world. (Which, as you now know, is the most POWERFUL way to engage readers!)

ENROLLMENT CLOSED

Dates: April 1 – 30, 2023

What You’re Going to Do Over the 4 Weeks

– Including AI-powered tools and techniques during the entire creative process

MODULE 1 / Your Publishable Novel Idea: Designing an Unstoppable Story Starts Here

— You’ll choose the best idea, theme, and genre to develop right now given your current stage of story development, so you have the confidence you’re choosing a story idea that’s good enough to start attracting your future fans.

MODULE 2 / Your Idea to Premise Blueprint: Turning Your Idea Into an Irrestistible Premise

— You’ll create the four elements essential to your cohesive narrative. Then you’ll bring it all together and craft the perfect elevator pitch, so you have a one-sentence summary to focus your story and share with agents, editors, and readers.

MODULE 3 / Assembling Your Perfect Cast: Creating Your Magnetic Characters

— You’ll audition, develop, and fill the right character roles for your story, so readers can connect with your compelling cast. You’ll create complex personas with believable motivations, values, and desires that turn pages and tug at heartstrings.

MODULE 4 / Crafting Your Dynamic Plot Skeleton: Plotting Your High-Impact Setups & Payoffs

— You’ll write down the bones of your plot by tapping into the building blocks of bestselling novels and blockbuster films. You’ll chart the milestone events that illuminate the true nature of your characters and keep readers guessing until the very end.

MODULE 5 / Mapping Your Epic Scene Outline: Supercharging Your Dynamic Plot Skeleton

— Using the story engine that powers top fiction and hit movies, you’ll discover how to grow your plot skeleton into a full-bodied outline. You’ll apply character-driven pacing to outline every chapter and build an unstoppable scene list that guides your writing from the opening scene to the final page.

Both Modules 4 and 5 deploy a new approach to creating scenes… Plotting By the Seat of Your Pants – an AI-powered scene building process that permits you to, well, plot by the seat of your pants! 🙂

BONUSES

Audio Analysis of Your Irresistible Premise: Get feedback on the Irresistible Premise you create during MODULE 2: Your Idea to Premise Blueprint. Receive a recorded audio message from Dave assessing your one-sentence story summary so you know what to clarify or polish in your elevator pitch.

4 Live Training & Coaching Calls: (Dates/Times: TBD) Join virtual Dave for 4 live calls as he presents storytelling insights and creative exercises that will forever change the way you look at the veil separating reality and fantasy.

Modern Visual Storytelling Tools & Templates: Discover the craft of storytelling like never before. Get one-of-a-kind illustrations of plot diagrams and scene writing techniques that literally show and tell you what to write next in your story.

Unlimited Email & Messaging Access to The Saturday Storyteller: Got questions about how to move your story forward using any of the program material inside Your Novel Adventure? Just email or message Dave to find the answers you’re looking for. Available Monday through Friday (April 1, 2023 through April 30, 2023) with replies typically sent within 24 hours.

Behind-the-Scenes Sneak Peek into Dave’s Next Big Thing(s): Be the first to learn about the top-secret operations that will challenge your choices and satisfy your curiosities.

ENROLLMENT CLOSED

Dates: April 1 – 30, 2023

JOIN THE NEXT COHORT

Hear What My Students Say – without even using AI-powered techniques

Your way of explaining plotting is the first time I’ve understood it.

I’ve studied the plot turn and pinch method, and The Hero’s Journey. But neither of those really gave me a handle on designing a plot framework and implementing it in any real and measurable way.

Jessica T.

I gotta rave about your questions.

They make me focus on what’s important to the bones of the story, not all the glittery stuff. I need to get the basics down with a wide paint brush before adding details with the artist’s brush.

Paul E.

David breaks content down into manageable segments so it’s not overwhelming and his delivery is friendly and entertaining.

The second aspect I enjoyed were the action steps that coincided with each module. They allowed me to practice the principles discussed in the videos and apply it all to my own story.

The course created a lot of “ah ha” moments, and helped me identify areas where I had been stuck.

Brenda W.

The 200-Year-Old “Timeless Tale” That Could “Threaten” Your Writing Dream

Once upon a time…

Authors labored by candlelight, putting ink to paper to write their stories.

Getting published? That was a whole different ball game.

In the early 1900s, Jane Austen captivated readers with her character-driven story, “Pride and Prejudice.” Later that century, H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds” broke the mold with its plot-driven narrative, sci-fi elements, and dramatic action.

Fast forward to today, and technology has revolutionized the writing process. However, the ultimate goal remains the same: Create a story that resonates and endures.

Yet, the paradox remains – even as new writing courses emerge and publishing barriers crumble, most writers still grapple with realizing their dream of creating a breakout story.

With countless entertainment options vying for people’s attention, it’s more important than ever for writers to stand out.

Most storytelling courses only emphasize plot structure or character development, but neglect the importance of infusing a writer’s values-driven message into the narrative, which is vital for striking a chord.

They also fall short in addressing the unique challenges of our fast-paced world and the need for innovative strategies to engage modern readers.

Failing to adapt to these hurdles can derail a writer for years, with devastating consequences.

Here’s what I mean…

How My First Big Story Turned Into an Epic “Fail“

I started my first big story in 2001 for the same reason as many writers: I wanted to tell stories to make a difference and a living.

So I set to work creating that story after encountering this plot diagram in Syd Field’s Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting.

After 30 minutes of brainstorming and planning, I realized developing my story was not going to be as easy as I predicted. So I closed the journal and moved onto something else.

Then I didn’t write for 9 years.

The story I’d been so excited to write never had the impact I imagined it would.

I ran away from something I loved, all for the sake of protecting myself from more failure.

The Road Was Far Bumpier Than I Imagined

One day in late 2009, I experienced an epiphany in the bathroom.

I stared into the mirror and declared, “I’m going to write novels.”

With my passion for the craft reignited, I devoted my heart and soul to writing a bestseller to compensate for lost time.

I read at least one novel or craft book every week, invested in lectures, joined a local writing group, attended conferences, and became obsessed with story structure.

I poured my heart and soul into building a bestseller to make up for lost time.

Naturally, I also wrote – a lot – and often by the seat of my pants.

I had piles of ideas, but when I started writing, my scenes felt disjointed and I struggled to make them flow. I created cool characters, placed them in exciting settings, and watched as their adventures unfolded on the page.

Except my character-driven story kept leading me astray, taking me on wild goose chases. It wasn’t my cast’s fault, though, they simply didn’t know any better.

Finally, after two years, I completed the draft of my second attempt at a big story.

I knew it wasn’t the best, but it was my big story.

What I didn’t anticipate was the choice it would ultimately force me to make.

The Turning Point That Almost Ended My Writing Career

The day: October 28, 2011.. I read an email that altered my writing journey forever.

Just four days prior, I had paid my favorite writer to give me a critique of my plot.

The truth was: I believed that big story was my golden ticket to escape Corporate America …

As I first read the email, I grimaced at the feedback.

Overwhelmed, I fell face first onto the bed, letting the Blackberry slip from my hands. Here are actual quotes from the email:

“I couldn’t tell you the main storyline”
“I can’t tell you with confidence, what anybody in this story was trying to accomplish”
“I can’t coach what I can’t comprehend”
“I want you to feel whole, even if that means a full refund.”

Ouch.

This revelation shattered my headspace, and it wasn’t self-sabotage. My first and favorite story coach was telling me everything about my novel wasn’t good enough.

All my big story inspired was a new refund policy.

Faced with this news, I faced a crossroads:

1. Pack it up, because writing just seemed too difficult. 

or

2. Recognize my shortcomings and persevere.

I knew if I gave up again, it could be the end of my writing dream for another decade.

That’s when I made the toughest decision of my writing journey.

“If something burns your soul with purpose and desire, it is your duty to let it burn you to ashes.”

— Charles Bukowski

Rising from the Ashes of My Hopeless Opus

Just days after my first story coach offered me a refund, I made the decision to move forward.

I vowed to become one of the best writers, coaches, and storytellers by helping creative writers avoid the heartbreak I had experienced. No one deserved that kind of gut-punch.

I wrote draft after draft, story after story, honing my craft.

In 2015, I launched this site.

Within six months, I landed a guest post on that writing coach’s website.

Within 12 months, podcast requests began to roll in.

By 18 months, I introduced a novel outlining course.

Within 24 months, this website was recognized as one of WRITER’S DIGEST’s 101 Best Websites for Writers.

And I was on the verge of completing my debut novel.

All of my writing dreams were materializing right before my eyes.

My Major Discovery: The Truth About Stories that Connect

As I delved further into the world of storytelling, I stumbled upon a significant discovery.

In early 2017, my community was thriving, and all my fiction-writing dreams were on the verge of becoming reality as I neared completion of my debut novel.

But then, I encountered a shiny new object— a real-world topic I was deeply passionate about.

My focus shifted entirely to researching and exploring this subject. People inquired about my novel, but I was preoccupied with writing, recording, editing, and producing my debut documentary film.

I launched my first YouTube channel in December 2017, solely to publish my new documentary. After emailing fewer than 20 people with a link to view it, the video went viral.

As my documentary reached over 10M views, 10K shares, and generated 400+ emails and countless comments, it became apparent that, while the content was indeed fascinating, it was the way I had structured the story that captivated people from start to finish.

The feedback consistently highlighted how my documentary made viewers see things differently.

I came to understand that it was my values-driven message and the manner in which I had woven the material into the narrative that opened people’s minds to a new perspective.

I had hoped for this outcome, but the reality surpassed all my expectations.

Be Careful What You Dream – It May Come True

By February 2018, this introvert knew advanced storytelling techniques, but I struggled to embrace the income from my blog and the attention generated from my debut film.

It was a huge shift to go from relative nobody to receiving 10-20+ emails daily from people wanting more answers, insights, videos, and more.

It felt strange when an old friend reached out after watching it.

Or when two colleagues pulled me aside about a movie I never mentioned to them.

Or to have a restaurant hostess approach wifey and me during date night, and thank me for opening her mind to a whole new world.

As an introvert, I was overwhelmed.

Imposter syndrome, self-sabotage, overstimulation, whatever you want to call it, I had it.

So, despite my creative dreams coming true, I retreated and went offline.

Then I moved to a cabin in the woods.

Literally.

My cabin in the woods where I recharged my creative spirit

In May 2018, my family relocated from the the California burbs to the Arkansas woods.

I stopped offering my novel outlining course and ceased writing articles on the craft of storytelling, fearing the success.

I only wrote for my sheer joy of it.

I blogged about anything and everything, allowing my novel to once again fall by the wayside.

But then Covid hit and I was driven to tell a new story as I tried to process the horrors around that world crisis.

By the end of 2020, I had published a 13-hour docuseries, consisting of six documentary films produced over nine months. This equated to creating and publishing a two-hour movie every 45 days, on average.

All the while, people still inquired about my novel.

The Scary Experiment That Led to FAST Results

In May 2021, I moved back to California, left Corporate America, and restarted my creative writing blog as the Saturday Storyteller.

In late 2022, ChatGPT was released for public use, and I couldn’t avoid hearing about it.

Terrified that AI might take my job, skills, and newly relaunched livelihood, I decided to face my fears.

I created an account and wondered if AI could help me develop the original novel idea I had conceived over a decade earlier. The answer was a resounding Whoa.

Almost immediately, I generated endless story ideas for inspiration or adaptation. When I experimented with building characters, the results were more impressive. Tasking the AI to help me plot the narrative, I was astonished by how quickly I could adapt my ideas, characters, and scenes into a new storyline.

The key to my AI success was understanding the nuances and complexities of storytelling. I knew the right questions to ask, where to place key elements, and how to collaborate with the technology for optimal results.

Suddenly, I envisioned the next 40 years of my life.

My fiction came back to life, not only on the page, but also within my spirit and soul.

My novel publication dream was reborn.

Introducing the Modern Approach for Timeless & State-of-the-Art Storytelling

The success I achieved by embracing AI and collaborating with it on my novel idea led me to create a groundbreaking type of system I’ve never seen before – Your Novel Adventure.

This 4-week journey fuses classic fiction-building techniques with cutting-edge technology, allowing for dramatically faster story development and success compared to traditional writing courses. By harnessing AI, Your Novel Adventure ignites your imagination and drives your story forward at an unprecedented pace.

This advanced storycrafting method incorporates the most effective principles from my prior novel outlining course, while leveraging AI to enhance writing prompts, activities, and lessons.

This innovative combination results in a creative experience that allows you to craft a cohesive narrative with incredible speed and quality.

Before fully embracing this method, I tested pieces by sharing ChatGPT prompts with my audience and those willing to use AI for story development.

Their reactions were overwhelmingly positive, describing the experience as “impressive,” “mind-blowing,” and even “jaw-dropping.”

Confident in these revolutionary techniques, I am now ready to finish my novel and I’ve returned to offer an online learning experience, giving you the ability to embark on Your Novel Adventure.

JOIN THE NEXT COHORT

Ordinary People, Extraordinary Results

Hear what students said about my novel outlining course… and this is without using AI as a novel upgrade…

When some writers talk about outlining stories by reverse engineering from the ending,

I wonder how on earth they know how their story ends, when all I have is some vague notion about the characters and maybe a scene in mind which sparked my interest in finding out what happens.

The course exercises on thinking about possible themes and how they can influence the characters and the ending has helped immensely.

I’ve never felt this confident about a story BEFORE writing it. In fact, I’ve never thought this much about a story before writing it!

Marcus A.

It makes the writing process smooth and clear, allowing me to get straight to the heart of my story.

I haven’t been blocked since I started the program, and I’m writing at a faster pace than ever before!

Sarah Y.

I have read many books on creative writing over the years, yet David surprised me with deeper insights throughout the program.

I greatly appreciate his encouragement and willingness to share his understanding of fiction through lectures, diagrams, and slides, and I look forward to having access to what he chooses to share in the future.

Ron W.

For years I’ve worked without a guideline or map.

It’s always easy to buy another book or download articles off the Internet, but none of these methods really help a beginning writer understand the true inner workings involved when writing a novel. David’s course provided visual examples and its worksheets gave me the tools to take a great deal of difficulty out of the novel writing process. Yes, it’s hard work, but anything worth doing requires hard work, right?

Anwar W.

Your Mission
Should You Choose to Accept It…

If you want to harness AI to transform your story at Ludicrous speed, so you can leave readers on the edge of their seats, sooner than later, you’re invited to join me in the first-run edition of Your Novel Adventure.

Your Mission — should you choose to accept it — is to discover, develop, and create an epic scene outline for your novel in 4 weeks or less — so you can plot a new course, bring characters to life, and have a map to guide your writing from the opening scene to the final chapter. Guaranteed!

Throughout this adventure, you’ll receive inspiration, guidance, and support every step of the way. With me as your story guide, I’ll be by your side to help you navigate this quest.

This means that you’ll LEARN and APPLY the timeless secrets of storytelling while ACCELERATING your creative process with breakthrough techniques.

From the moment you join, you’ll embark on an immersive experience, build unstoppable momentum, and have a clear understanding of your mission and goals.

With my personal support to keep you moving forward, you’ll power through your fiction to achieve real-world success during Your Novel Adventure.