The Threshing By Tim Grahl

What if you could look inside a novel and see exactly how it works, like a doctor analyzing an x-ray or MRI scan? In The Story Grid Contenders Analysis Guide to The Threshing Tim Grahl and Shawn Coyne look deep into the heart of Grahl’s dystopian action novel set in a grim future where people compete in a virtual world to survive in the real one. What essential actions lie beneath the moves the characters make? How does each scene propel the story forward? Coyne opens the Guide by analyzing the structure of the Action Story, the first and most primal fiction genre. Why have humans shared heroic tales that pivot on life-or-death choices ever since we began gathering around campfires? Why do Action stories persist at the top of bestseller lists? Because they speak to our desire to experience heart-stopping fear and excitement and learn hard lessons vicariously. Coyne’s analysis provides the framework you need to satisfy those desires in readers. Then Grahl takes you into his process of crafting a story that works by dissecting the structure of each scene, from inciting incident to crisis to resolution. You’ll see the critical choices he made to deepen his characters’ dilemmas and surprise readers again and again. There is simply no better way to learn the craft of storytelling than to study a novel scene by scene. This Story Grid Contenders Analysis Guide is a valuable tool for any writer or editor interested in the art and science of storytelling. By showing you the inner workings of this contemporary action story at the macro and micro levels, Coyne and Grahl give you the tools to analyze your own work, diagnose and solve problems, and level up your craft.

1. If you win, you survive.2. If you lose, you and everyone you love slowly starve to death.Years before twelve-year-old Jessie was born, everyday life tipped into this dystopia when firestorms burned through millions upon millions of acres of sustainable farmland. Now there's not enough food for too many people. Leaders from around the globe came together and conceived of the most extraordinary competition imaginable. The results determine who gets what and how much.This battlefield lies within the grid, a virtual world where the people mine credits to stake their claim for their daily bread. When everyone else is living a virtual life honing unreal skills, only the truly gifted have the courage and know-how to be real.And Jessie might be the most gifted competitor in The Threshing.Ever.

"If you are a fan of Hunger Games or the Matrix, this is the book that you carry around with you until you get to the end." 1. If you win, you survive. 2. If you lose, you and everyone you love slowly starve to death. Years before twelve-year-old Jesse was born, everyday life tipped into this dystopia when firestorms burned through millions upon millions of acres of sustainable farmland. Now there's not enough food for too many people. Leaders from around the globe came together and conceived of the most extraordinary competition imaginable. The results determine who gets what and how much. This battlefield lies within the grid, a virtual world where the people mine credits to stake their claim for their daily bread. When everyone else is living a virtual life honing unreal skills, only the truly gifted have the courage and know-how to be real. And Jesse might be the most gifted competitor in The Threshing. Ever.

"If I could give an aspiring writer one piece of advice, it would be to read this book." — Hugh Howey, New York Times best selling author of Wool "Tim Grahl is fast becoming a legend, almost single-handedly changing the way authors around the world spread ideas and connect with readers. If you've got a book to promote, stop what you're doing right now and start reading Your First 1000 Copies." — Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of Drive and When "Your First 1000 Copies is a must-read for authors trying to build a connection with their readers." — Dan Heath & Chip Heath, co-authors of Made to Stick, Switch, and Decisive "I watched in awe as Tim Grahl had 5 clients on the New York Times bestseller list in the same week. There is no one I trust more to learn about book marketing." - Pamela Slim, Author, Body of Work "Tim was an early pioneer in teaching book authors how Internet marketing actually works." - Hugh MacLeod, author of Ignore Everybody and Evil Plans Imagine if you had a direct connection with thousands of readers who loved reading your books. And imagine if those readers eagerly awaited the launch of your next book. How would that direct relationship with your readers change your writing career? How would you feel knowing that every time you started a new book project, you already had people excited to buy it and ready to recommend it to others? In Your First 1000 Copies, seasoned book marketing expert Tim Grahl walks you through how successful authors are using the online marketing tools to build their platform, connect with readers and sell more books. Tim has worked with over 100 different authors from top best sellers such as Hugh Howey, Daniel Pink, Barbara Corcoran Charles Duhigg, Chip and Dan Heath, Ramit Sethi and Pamela Slim to authors just get started on their first writing project. He has worked with authors across all fiction and non-fiction genres. Along with his client work, he has studied many other successful authors to learn what works and what doesn't. The result is Your First 1000 Copies where he walks you through the Connection System, a plan that every author can immediately start using. The plan looks like this: - Permission - How to open up communication with your readers where you can reliably engage them and invite them to be involved. - Content - How to use content to engage with current readers and connect with new ones. - Outreach - How to ethically and politely introduce yourself to new readers. - Sell - How all of these steps can naturally lead to book sales without being pushy or annoying This is a system that any author can immediately put in place to start building their platform. Whether you're a seasoned author looking to step into the new publishing landscape, or you're a brand new author, Your First 1000 Copies will give you the tools to connect with readers and sell more books.

Like many beginning writers, Tim Grahl struggled to learn his craft—and even to find the right words to describe his questions and challenges. After reading a library of how-to books, Tim found what he needed in the unique Story Grid approach. With the help of editor, friend, and Story Grid creator Shawn Coyne, Tim discovered a new vocabulary—what he now calls The Writers’ Common Language. Learning this language can help us all think and talk about our stories with more clarity and specificity. In this book, Tim shares moments from his own journey as a storyteller and how the strategies and tools of Story Grid transformed the way he reads, writes, and edits his own work. “Once you can apply these tools to your own story,” he says, “you will be amazed at the progress you can make.” With a shared understanding of terms such as “genre,” “point of view,” “value shift,” and “theme,” writers and editors can talk more productively and meaningfully to level up every project. When we speak in this writers’ common language, we can create community, learn from each other, and—most important—bring more great stories into the world.

WHAT IS THE STORY GRID? 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 a tool with many applications: 1. It will tell a writer if a Story ?works? or ?doesn't work. 2. It pinpoints story problems but does not emotionally abuse the writer, revealing exactly where a Story (not the person creating the Story'the Story) has failed. 3. It will tell the writer the specific work necessary to fix that Story's problems. 4. It is a tool to re-envision and resuscitate a seemingly irredeemable pile of paper stuck in an attic drawer. 5. It is a tool that can inspire an original creation.

Action Stories speak to ancient human desires. Readers want to experience heart-stopping fear and excitement and learn lessons of survival. How can you write a story that satisfies those desires? In Action Story: The Primal Genre, Story Grid founder Shawn Coyne takes you on a journey deep into the meaning of the genre. Coyne boils down insights gained through more than 25 years as an editor and writer to teach you Action Story’s fundamental constraints and patterns. He explores subgenres and setting, and proposes a new way of understanding the traditional cast of characters to reveal their power as agents of light and darkness. In keeping with Story Grid Publishing’s goal of helping all writers level up their craft, Coyne provides a practical twenty-point game plan, showing how action stories move forward from beginning to end. Action stories are part of our DNA, fundamental to our humanity. Let’s learn to write them together.

A Deeply Personal Field Guide toDefeating Your Own Worst EnemyWhen you dream, you envision a magical future...the day when you have heroically slayed dragons and unlocked the creativity and genius buried deep inside.But how do you actually get to that destination?You can analyze the myths of visionary creators-artists, writers, musicians, software developers, etc. who have accomplished the impossible. You'll read about how they went for it, refused to quit, and would not be denied. But exactly how these successful creators went from being fearful dreamers to accomplished artists proves elusive. Running Down a Dream unflinchingly bares the naked truth of creation and shares the practical to-do list to take you from here to there.The good news? You don't have to be an Austen or a Michelangelo or an Oprah to create a work of art.The bad news? There is no glossing over the pain, embarrassment, and financial terror necessary to contend with on your journey to mission accomplished.More good news? What lies ahead for you is the realization of your heroic self. The run is worth it in ways you can't yet imagine.