STORY AS LANGUAGE

SCREENWRITING & PROJECT DEVELOPMENT COACHING

SCHEDULING

About your coach:

I'm an award-winning filmmaker and screenwriter known for my film BUCK RUN, which premiered Opening Weekend at Palm Springs International Film Festival and won Best Feature awards at festivals like Flickers Rhode Island International, Nordic International, among others around the world. It also earned me the Orson Welles Award for Achievement in Directing.

I work with screenwriters developing projects for feature film, TV, and short form, as well as writers developing fiction novels.

HOW IT WORKS:

With many writing coaches out there, writers come away with little more than a deeper understanding of their story, characters, or plot. With me, writers will go through three drafts over just four months - a rough draft, a second pass, and a polish. As a filmmaker myself, my commitment to those I work with is that they can do something with their script out in the world.

I coach screenwriters with a process based on the idea that story-structure need not be simply an analytical process but an emotional one. To learn words in a language, we understand both function and meaning of those words. What if story-structure was the same? What if we could become fluent in the language of storytelling?

I work from a knowledge that all writers exist naturally on a spectrum from Intuitive to Constructive. Both ends of this spectrum are needed to write a final draft, meaning that a writer ought to endeavor to be at the center of this spectrum as they work. Over four months, I coach Intuitive writers to use the skills they have naturally to become equally Constructive. With Constructive writers, I coach them in bringing out their intuition.

THE DETAILS:

I work one-on-one with writers, doing one 60-minute Zoom session per week. Each day of the process, I send an email detailing the steps to take. Each session is $95, though I will work on a sliding scale for emerging artists.

If paid upfront, you’ll get the first session for free. 

To schedule a free Zoom introductory session, scroll back to the scheduling section at the top of the page, or follow this link: https://StoryasLanguage.as.me/

TESTIMONIALS

Semi-Finalist for the Mark Duplass Screencraft Film Fund, Molly Ratermann-

“This process made a finished screenplay go from impossible to possible. Nick's encouragement to be brave and vulnerable with my writing has added missing layers to my work and I have never felt more connected to my story and characters. His ability to connect with the story you're trying to tell and bringing out the beauty in it, regardless of whatever shape it might be in, gives you the clarity and encouragement to keep shaping your script into something great. He commits to knowing your work inside and out, which lets him give insightful direction that moves you forward and keeps you from getting stuck. It's a safe space where someone is truly appreciating your work while driving you to the finish line. He's a true coach and a master of story and story structure."

Second Rounder at the Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition & Semi-Finalist at Scriptapalooza, Jacob Levy-

“This course moves the writing process from the intellectual to the psychological by encouraging the writer to look deep inside themselves to discover the true essence of their story and characters.”

"Working with Nick has been an amazing experience! My script grew exponentially in character development, meaning, and purpose from a one-act to a full length piece of work all in the span of four months. His coaching really nurtures a creative space to be vulnerable in as a writer and to dig deeper into your story. Highly recommend to anyone wanting to harness their craft and make a commitment to their script" - Amber Glasgow, Playwright.

"Working with Nick has been one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling experiences of my professional career. Immediately, he was able to guide me into discovering the most honest and vulnerable parts of myself and how that can be transferred onto the page. Nick was able to broaden my story and its characters by helping me observe the realm of endless possibility. The safe environment he creates with you guarantees the ability to access your full potential."  - Jordan Wilson, Screenwriter.

“Nick has always provided wonderful insight, not only into the concrete film world, but the introspective world of myself in regards to evolving as a writer and human. The system Nick has set forth for this course, as well as the extra effort and insight that he offers to help answer any question or solve any issue I have, has been crucial to my evolution as a filmmaker and writer.” - Robert Carver, Filmmaker.

“I’ve had a fantastic experience working with Nick. He has a great instinct for story and structure which is well communicated in a way that’s actionable and easy to understand. He’s an intuitive story teller and a great coach - highly recommended.” - James Miller, Novelist.

“Nick really guides you through the process and meets you where you're at. He will help you figure out what kind of writer you are, and then how to get your story out of your head and onto the page. I never thought I'd be able to finish a script like this. Nick's encouragement, specific tasks, education and overall sincerity provided me all I needed to make it through. I'm so grateful that I took the plunge and now my pilot is real!” -Mandy Brown, Actor/Writer

“Working with Nick got me to finally finish the pilot for a series I’d been working on for two years. I was stuck in the story of it (I’m a highly constructive writer) and knew there was something missing but couldn’t decipher what. I’d done all the recommended screenwriting programs in LA, but Nick is by far the most effective coach I’ve worked with who got me to tap into my intuition and write through my blocks. I’m forever a different writer because of him.” - Nancy Degnan, Screenwriter/Actor/Producer.

“I came to the party of working with Nick only recently, and I thank my lucky stars that I did. The script we are working on together was a daunting, challenging story to say the least. He has supported me in getting the heart and soul of my characters to transcend to the page through my voice and writing. An illustration teacher once told me -- I can draw the prettiest picture, but if the design cannot be made, it has no value. I think it is the same with writing. You can have all the ideas, stories, verse, prose, and imagination, but if you cannot convey it to an audience, move them in some way, engage them, and feel emotion, then one might ask what value does it have? Nick has guided me to get my ideas, imagination, writing, and heart in the same place and convey the storyto the audience that will benefit them in some way.” - Diah Wymont, Screenwriter/Costume Designer

“Nick is attentive, responsive, caring, and genuinely works with you in order to get to the bottom of what it is you are trying to convey. It is undeniably true that there are stories that would not have been made without his help. I had held the screenplay we worked on in the back of my mind for years, and thought it would take more than a decade to complete. This is not an exaggeration, as I believed the research and forethought would be substantial and extremely time-consuming. To my astonishment, I was able to complete the story within the frame of FOUR MONTHS. From conception to polishing, that was all the time it took to get a finished work in my hands. I am not someone who has historically been unable to finish stories, however, the breadth of this film was deemed too vast for my brain and thus would never have been made had it not been for Nick’s guidance. He took the knowledge I already had, combined it with his own, as well as his unique personal experience in the trade, then adjusted his curriculum accordingly to fit my needs in a way that was personable and intelligent. He understands what makes a good story, and is filled with the lifeblood necessary for crafting them; this is what makes him such a good teacher. Thanks to his support and positive demeanor we were able to create something magnificent, and I have added many skills to my arsenal that were not there prior, including the ability to free-write more freely. He is the best spotter for the heavy lifting of writing one could ask for, and is more than capable of helping someone find their voice should they give him the chance.” - Ethan Kagin, College Student & Aspiring Screenwriter.

“This is my first time tackling writing a screenplay. I was absolutely terrified and did not know how to approach the process. With Nick's expertise, intuitive guidance and structure, he has coached me in the process of writing my very first screenplay. I am so grateful for having him as my writing coach!” - Jenn Pauly, Screenwriter/Actor.