The Story Grid

The bible of writing books...

The Story Grid is a tool developed by editor Shawn Coyne to analyze stories and provide helpful editorial comments. It’s like a CT Scan that takes a photo of the global story and tells the editor or writer what is working, what is not, and what must be done to make what works better and fix what’s not.

The Story Grid breaks down the component parts of stories to identify the problems. And finding the problems in a story is almost as difficult as the writing of the story itself (maybe even more difficult.)

"The Story Grid is an intensely practical tool. Like all tools, when you use it, it works. It will change you, your writing and most of all, the people who read what you write."
Seth Godin
The Icarus Deception

Craft Nonfiction

The Five Commandments of Storytelling

Story Grid Beats

Writers encounter a wide range of problems no matter where they are on the journey to write a compelling story that satisfies readers. And when these obstacles arise, they don’t always know how to get to the bottom of the real problem much less solve it.

Story Grid Beats pare down your story problems into specific high-resolution mini-puzzles and offer actionable advice about how to solve them. With these handy guides, you’ll learn how to identify, reframe, and solve your story problems.

Writing a Second-Chance Love Story: A Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide to Persuasion

Story Grid Masterwork Guides

Writers want to tell stories that satisfy readers and stand the test of time, but writing advice is often vague and contradictory. What’s an aspiring writer to do? Go to masters of the genre.

Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guides identify and analyze the best of the best fiction and nonfiction titles to help you discover how master storytellers solved the same story problems you face. Story Grid Certified Editors walk you, scene by scene, to reveal how authors craft exciting, intriguing, and cathartic stories that endure across time and place.

The Story Grid

Story Grid Globals

Story Grid Globals help writers gain the broader perspective they need to spot and leverage these connections. With a deep dive into story theory and practice, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of how and why stories work so you can level up your craft.

Original Fiction

Access our free 5-part Story Grid Course. In these lessons, Shawn will walk you step-by-step through the basics of Story Grid and how to get started.