Now that we’re pulling back on author events with the Smarter Artist, we’re able to use our time on what we refer to as a “No ROI event.” These are private events with small groups. The purpose is to learn something together rather than teaching. Our last event was a movie-watching marathon. We picked films we thought were compelling, commercially successful, or cult classics such as The Matrix, Inglorious Bastards, and American Beauty. To our delight, we found that most of them didn’t strictly conform to story structure. Story structure is a sword, not a crutch. It’s a way we can understand, dissect, and correct our stories rather than a prescription for the perfect story. Once you understand story structure, you’re able to wield it. In this episode, we share how the films we watched bent the “rules” to create a better story. — Are you wondering what the ever-growing demand for superb storytelling skills means for your future? Check out our latest interview as Johnny and Sean dive deep into that question in “Storytelling Is the Future: How to Build On Your Self-Publishing Success.” Download the interview from the info box or show notes in YouTube or head over to https://www.sterlingandstone.net/future.