There are two kinds of writing work.
Drafting is the tip of the iceberg - clacking at your keyboard, generating new sentences.
Storywork is everything underneath the iceberg - brainstorming, decision-making, creating characters, considering themes, crafting plots.
The Academy is not a drafting course.
It won’t teach you grammar, spelling, or how to write better sentences. It won't teach you how to simply write more words.
The Academy is a storywork course.
It will teach you how to do all narrative-craft behind the scenes that gives you something to write when you sit down at your keyboard. It will teach you to write words which actually tell a story.
LET’S SEE HOW IT BREAKS DOWN
THE CURRICULUM
one 🌩 ideas & problem solving
You'll learn how to generate ideas and problem-solve issues that come up as you're writing. Mastering this is key to becoming an unstoppable writer.
two 🌱 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.
three ♥︎ theme & growth
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. You'll also learn where the plot embryo comes from, why it's so powerful, and how to avoid getting overwhelmed with your story's details.
four ⚔️ mastering conflict
You'll learn how to establish a central conflict which packs a punch, and creates an addictive suspense and tension through the story. We'll also explore how to get sparks flying between your protagonist and antagonist (even if the antagonist isn't a person!)
five 👤 pacing & protagonist
We'll dive into how time flows in the plot embryo to create effective pacing for your story. You'll also learn how to map out the most important aspects of your protagonist's personality and how they'll impact their character arc.
six 🌗 completing 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.
seven 💔 mastering 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 break down exactly what's different about creating a tragic plot embryo, and how to do it.
eight 💫 creating a story solar system
How many plot embryos should your story have?
(Spoilers: it's often more than one!)
In our final module, 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.
“RACHAEL’S YOUTUBE 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.”
- Mikaela
Writer and Academic Writing Consultant
INSIDE THE STORY MAGIC ACADEMY
video LESSONS
Now with captions! Each of the 8 modules includes a handful of videos, guiding you through the Story Magic System step by step. You'll have lifetime access to rewatch them and take notes.
rachael’s study
Live office hours with Rachael. We have five of these livestream sessions each semester where you can get your questions answered.
PRINTABLE WORKSHEETS
Handy printable worksheets and templates to make completing your Storywork easier.
community forum
Discuss the lessons and your progress with other students in our private Academy forums.
ALCHEMISE PLOT THEORY AND WRITING PRACTICE INTO STORY WISDOM
academy
FAQs
+ 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.
+ What's the difference between the How to Plot on One Page email course and the Story Magic Academy?
How to Plot on One Page is a free intro course where you get brief (5-10 minute) video lessons delivered to your inbox over seven days. It provides a basic introduction to the concept of the plot embryo.
The Story Magic Academy is a comprehensive, in-depth course that provides you with over 9 hours of classes, over eight weeks. You have access to a community and to me. It provides you with a complete system of tools and techniques to create story ideas, turn them into complete plot embryos, and weave them together into larger projects.
It's the difference between having some chips and dip at a party, and sitting down for a full feast of several courses on a special occasion.
+ 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 are the lessons released?
A new module (containing a handful of video lessons) will unlock every week, starting with the day you enroll. So if you enroll on a monday, each module will unlock on the following monday!
+ When are the live office hours?
There are five Rachael's Study sessions spaced out across ten weeks. They take place on Saturdays at 6pm UK time. (check your timezone here)
If your timezone or schedule doesn't line up, don't worry! All Rachael's Study sessions are recorded and available to rewatch, and you can submit your question in advance to get it answered even if you can't be there in real time.
+ Do the videos have closed captions?
Yes! All video lessons now have closed captions added to them. You can toggle them on or off at any time.
+ Do I have to complete the storywork every week? What if I fall behind?
There is no falling behind in the Academy! The modules are dripped out over the course of eight weeks, but you can set your own pace. You have lifetime access to the lessons, so you can take as long as you need to complete them.
+ Are there scholarships available?
In the previous enrollment week of the Academy, a very kind sponsor approached us to fund five students' places.
The only way we were able to make this work, was through the hard work of Christi, my coworker, who created an entire application process from scratch in the space of a few days. Because of her work, we were able to manage this unexpected sponsorship program and eventually offer funded spots to five students.
And while we aren't able to offer any sponsorships or scholarships for this enrollment, we are committed to creating a scholarship program in the future.
This is really important to me, because I really want to be able to offer places for students who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it - but I also want to do it right, and do it fairly, and that takes time to create.
GOT ANOTHER QUESTION?
contact me
If there's something else you want to know about the Academy, and you can't find an answer here, shoot me an email at rachael@rachaelstephen.com.
READY TO MASTER THE PLOT EMBRYO AND BECOME A STORY MAGICIAN?
