"The most powerful tool in my new tool box."
Will Smith
"A total game changer. The Moral Premise gets your story (and all your characters) working for you, instead of the other way around."
Michael Jann, Sr. Writer, Tonight Show with Jay Leno
"The Moral Premise dares to suggest that movies might actually mean something."
Chris Vogler, "The Writer's Journey"
"Thanks for the great book. I will recommend it to all my classes."
Blake Snyder, WGA, Author "Save the Cat"
"An incredibly practical and helpful tool that should be taught in every film school."
Marianne & Cormac Wibberley, WGA (National Treasure and National Treasure: Book of Secrets)
"Stan, You are a light and an incredible gift! Thank you for your insight and innovation.The Moral Premise: It's Amazing!"
DeVon Franklin, VP, Sony Entertainment
Author, "Produced by Faith."
"Should be required reading, retroactively, for every working Hollywood screenwriter."
Brian Bird, WGA, Producer
"Thank you, thank you, thank you for your wonderful Moral Premise, and for all you've done for me and my writing, Stan."
Tamera Alexander, Novelist
"This is really an important book."
Derek Rydall "The Script Doctor"
"Drop all of your 'to-do' lists, get this book, and curl up for the read of your screenwriting lifetime."
Dave Anderson, President, Compass Film Academy
Aspiring or working screenwriters - I have a tip for you. Buy the THE MORAL PREMISE by Stanley D. Williams and read it twice.
Paul Lalonde, Chairman, Cloud Ten Pictures
"More than a must-read; it is groundbreaking."
Curt LaLonde
More Endorsements >>
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Story and Screenplay Consulting
Stanley D. Williams, Ph.D.
(Email me for physical mailing address)
Email: Stan@MoralPremise.com.
Office/VoiceMail: 248-344-4423.
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I help writers tell better stories that emotionally and intellectually connect with audiences. The help spans the story/script development process from concept to polish. There are multiple ways this can happen; listed below are a few. If something doesn't make sense on this page please ask. Unlike the Federal Government I do not believe one size fits all.
If the descriptions of the categories or levels below don't make sense there are more detailed submission instructions at the bottom of this page sure to confuse you even more. Sometimes it's much easier just to write or call.
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Level 0: FREE (or almost free) ADVICE
$0 (check), $0 (PayPal)
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- Resources:
I over several resources of this so called "free advice."
- The original book: Order The Moral Premise
- The Blog Posts (over 300 essays and articles with a topic list in the scroll-down-right-column: The Moral Premise Blog: Story Structure Craft
- Essays, Overviews, Reviews & Blurbs, Radio Spots, Writing Aids...all accessible from MoralPremise.com top of the page menu.
- Write me an email with a general question that I can answer by writing either a blog post or referring you directly to one of the above resources.
- Under the almost-free-but-not-quite category is my on-line Storycraft Training Workshop. See link for full description.
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Real Time Consulting on a specific concept, outline, treatment, or story/script.
$125/hour (check), $130/hour (PayPal)
Payable in Advance.
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If you have a script for me to read and give notes, see the levels listed below as a starting place.
If you do not yet have a script, or if you want me to coach you through the story development process (at any level), then I charge $125/hour payable in advance as a retainer. I work that way by email (with Final Draft or PDF files), phone, or zoom. Generally folks in this category will pay me some incremental amount like $500 for 4 hours, and then use that 4 hours up over a series of phone or zoom calls. For projects longer than 8 hours I'll discount my rate to $100/hour. For projects longer than 20 hours I'll discount my rate to $75/hour.
Depending on the need, we may use one of the various graphic tools I've developed. Two such tools are The Beat Plate and The Story Diamond. (BTW: There are a total of 10 posts on the Story Diamond, the link here is a summary.) Using these tools on Zoom works well.
If you have a short treatment or outline and are curious about discovering the moral premise, we may require only 1 or 2 hours time.
I can also provide you notes or feedback in writing, but the better help is an interactive conversation by phone, email, zoom, or in-person. I live in S.E. Michigan. Writers have spent days with me in my office using an 8-foot tall story diamond and posit notes breaking stories. I have traveled to Southeran California, and other locations to give live workshops, and to consult, but not on a regular basis.
- Out-of-Town Meetings
- $1,500 per day plus First Class travel
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Level 1: Screenplay Coverage
$600 (check), $621 (PayPal)
(over 110 pages $3/pg)
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- Submit:
- The EIGHT (8) Story Fundamentals described on this post:
Story Development Steps - Story Fundamentals, plus a 600 word synopsis revealing the final resolution, and your Script. Use address or email above to send materials.
- Returned to you:
- A 3-4 pages of standard coverage, plus analysis of the moral premise's consistency, and general commments about basic story structure, turning points, overview of character development, how well the moral premise has been incorporated into the arc of the characters, with recommendations for improvement. (This is not full script analysis which starts at Level 2).
If you choose you can substitute my written report for a 2 hour phone conversation where I'll share with you, and we can discuss, my notes. Our call can be recorded and sent to you as an WAV file. The call is often preferred becasue we can dialogue.
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Level 2: Full Script Coverage
$750 (check), $776 (PayPal)
(over 110 pages $4/pg)
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- Submit:
- The EIGHT (8) Story Fundamentals described on this post:
Story Development Steps - Story Fundamentals, and Script. Use address or email above to send materials.
- Returned to you:
- A script coverage report of 5-6 page evaluation, with some high level suggestions for improvement. It will analyze your story idea, moral premise, characters, dialogue, story, structure, marketability and title as Excellent, Good, Fair, or Poor. It will also estimate the budget range, provide a log line, synopsis, and short analysis with an overall grade of: Recommend, Consider, or Pass. I will also discuss the story's moral premise's structure, act structure, or turning points and suggestions for improvement.
If you choose you can substitute my written report for a 2 hour phone conversation where I'll share with you, and we can discuss, my notes. Our call can be recorded and sent to you as an WAV file. The call is often preferred becasue we can dialogue.
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Level 3: In Depth Script Analysis and Coaching
$950 (check), $984 (PayPal)
(over 110 pages $6/pg)
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- Submit:
- The EIGHT (8) Story Fundamentals described on this post:
Story Development Steps - Story Fundamentals, plus a 600 word synopsis revealing the final resolution, and Script. Use address or email above to send materials.
- Returned to you:
- The same coverage report outlined in Level 8 PLUS a 2 hour phone conversation.
Or, if you choose you can substitute my written report for an additional 2 hours of phone coaching (total 4 hours). At your requst I will record our call and sent you an WAV file. The call is often preferred becasue we can dialogue.
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Level 4: Full Story and Script Analysis PLUS Roller Coaster Analysis.
$1,500 (check), $1,553 (PayPal)
(over 110 pages $10/pg)
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- Submit:
- The EIGHT (8) Story Fundamentals described on this post:
Story Development Steps - Story Fundamentals, plus a 600 word synopsis revealing the final resolution, and Script. Use address, fax, or email at upper-left just below the SITE MENU to send materials.
- Returned to you:
- The same coverage report from Level 8 PLUS a Page-to-Page Roller Coast Analysis of your script. (See multiple exaples of the kind of charts that can be produced in this multi-blog link: Rollercoaster Blog Posts). PLUS a 2 hour Q&A telephone session after you receive my written report. Phone conference does not have to be all at the same time. At your request our call can be recorded and sent to you as an WAV file.
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SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS (the fine print)
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For Filmmakers/Scriptwriters
- Submissions need not query in advance. Send to above address. You'll get most for your dollar if you supply all that is asked for below. If you don't have or can't figure out the moral premise statement, log line, or story summary, I'll help you come up with what you need.
- Rates assume feature length script of 90-110 pages. Additional pages will be prorated.
- Format: It's helpful if you have formatted your scripts in some industry standard. I like Christopher Riley's THE HOLLYWOOD STANDARD 3rd Edition (published by my publisher Michael Wiese).
- Please include check, or "Send Money" via PayPal to "jonah@ninevehscrossing.com"
- Include SASE for return of material.
- Electronic submissions accepted in PDF, Final Draft, or M.S. Word. I prefer Findal Draft if I'm reading a full script because I can make revisions to it. You can discover what I did by FD's Script Compare function.
- Always include real name, full return address, phone number, and email address.
- Turn around depends on other deadlines, usually 2-3 weeks. If longer I will contact you after receipt of your material.
- You may call beforehand to discuss. 248-344-4423.
- If you choose you can send me a non-disclosure confidentiality agreement that I will sign if the agreement does not pigeon hole my responsibilities to other clients as a consultant. (While I will not disclose particulars or specific information about your project, as a consultant I become valuable because of my breadth of exposure to industry projects and practices, and thus my general knowledge is shared with all, for the benefit of all.)
- My standard hourly rate is $125, but certain discounts apply. See above.
- On all coaching calls (telephone or zoom) we cam RECORD our call and send you the resulting mp3 or mp4 file. I will not record unless you ask for it.
- We may Zoom and share screens for beating out stories on a beat board.
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For Novelists
- I do not read entire manuscripts. My coaching is mostly limited to story structure, although I can advise on style and other writing issues.
- Query via email in advance for story coaching session by telephone or Zoom.
- Use ADD TO CART buttons below, or "Send Money" via PayPal to jonah@ninevehscrossing.com. If we're doing this by snail mail, send a check with your hardcopy submission materials.
- Submit material electronically as PDF, MS Word, iWork file, raw email text, or hard copy via snail mail.
- Always send me your real name, full return address, phone number, and email address.
- My standard hourly rate is $125, but certain discounts apply. See above.
- On all coaching calls, you place the telephone call to the number we provide, or I send you a zoom invite.
- We can record our conversation and send you the resulting mp3 or mp4 file. But you have to ask for this. No extra charge.
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