I’ve been thinking a lot about my mission with this community. At its core, I want to help you write visceral, primal characters — people with real human needs, real internal fractures, and stories that hit the audience in the gut. But before we dive into wounds, meaning, and transformation, every writer needs one simple tool to ground the work: The logline. This is where the path from good scripts to holy shit scripts start. Most people think of a logline as something you need at the END of the process, for a pitch. But a precise logline can be invaluable during the writing. And while I’ll critique the formulaic nature of Save The Cat now and then, STC has a pretty clean definition of a logline. We’ll go deeper in future posts, but let’s steelman this one first. According to Save the Cat, a strong logline needs four things: 1. A clear protagonist 2. A clear goal 3. A clear obstacle or antagonist 4. The irony — the hook That last piece is the part most writers skip — and it’s the reason many loglines fall flat. Example: Groundhog Day Protagonist: Phil Connors (cynical weatherman) Goal: Escape the time loop Obstacle: Himself — his selfishness keeps him in prison Irony: A man who never appreciates the moment is forced to relive the same one forever Logline: “A man who can’t appreciate the moment is forced to live the same day over and over until he learns that meaning isn’t found in the next thing, but in showing up fully for what’s right in front of him.” Three More Famous Examples 1. Toy Story 2 Protagonist: Woody Goal: Get back to Andy Obstacle: A collector who offers eternal preservation in a museum Irony: To return home, he must choose a love that will eventually break his heart Logline: “A cowboy doll must escape a toy collector and return to his owner, even though it means choosing a love he knows will one day leave him behind.” 2. Signs Protagonist: A grieving former priest Goal: Protect his children Obstacle: A global alien invasion

I've got my head down this week, prepping for the Emotional Authorship Seminar - aka What They Don't Teach You in Film School ... where I'm going to take students through exactly how I analyze projects at studios. How I create primal character dynamics that take those scripts to the next level and finally get them green lit! So I might be a little quiet here this week as I build that seminar out since this is the first in a series I'll be teaching. And I want everything to be absolutely top notch. What's on your plate and what are you determined to bring to the table this week? Let's get specific about our goals, so we don't get lost in the holiday shuffle. Now, don't get me wrong, it's incredibly important to be able to show up and appreciate everything we have to be grateful for during this time of year. But if we can keep plodding and plotting our way through December, we'll be able to enter the new year with a whole new energy vs having to play catch up. Drop your goals below!

As part of building this community, I'm updating the About page. Just curious which of these two vibes with the most people and would make you feel like, "Hell yeah, I need to sign up for that!" I was debating and debating, then I thought... I know a whole group of people with opinions! Let's hear it! Which would you prefer if you were landing on the About Page for the first time, and why? VERSION A: ✍️ The Writer’s Forge Stop forcing structure. Learn to create unforgettable characters that get noticed by agents and managers who can take your career to the next level. Most writers stay stuck because they’ve been taught structure-first. The beats look right… but the script feels dead. It’s missing a beating heart — characters that feel real, alive, primal as hell, and hit the reader on a gut level. The kind that make an industry reader flip back to the title page and think: “Who tf wrote this?” I’m J. David Stem (Shrek 2, Jimmy Neutron, Rugrats, Disenchanted). Studios hired me for 25 years to rebuild scripts from the inside out. Now I help writers do the same inside The Writer’s Forge. 🔥 Hot Seats — clear, honest feedback 🎯 Accountability — write with momentum 💬 Emotional Authorship — build characters reps care about If you’re serious about leveling up, get in here. $5/month for now — jumping to $50 soon. Let’s get to work. VERSION B: Stop writing in isolation and start thinking and acting like a professional. I’m J. David Stem, a $2.5B box office screenwriter and script doctor. Inside The Writer’s Forge, I teach serious writers to level up their craft with confidence — supported by a community that actually shows up and grows together. Get instant access to: 🔥 LIVE Story Hot Seats — real fixes, real clarity, coached by me 💪 Emotional Authorship — create characters actors actually want to play 🎯 Rewrite Rescue — diagnose what’s broken and fix it with professional precision 🎤 Pitching & The Business — insights from my former agent and working TV writers