A Story is a Promise — Essays on the Craft of Dramatic Writing!

by Bill Johnson


This site offers writers ideas on the essential elements of storytelling through reviews of popular novels, plays, and movies.

Cover of Bill Johnson's A Story is a Promise & The Spirit of Storytelling

Bill Johnson is author of A Story is a Promise & The Spirit of Storytelling, a popular book to guide new writers to an understanding of the mechanics of storytelling. This website explores how to introduce a story's promise to engage readers.

How to create a story line and plot line that elevate dramatic tension.

Practical steps for creating compelling characters.

Capsule reviews of current movies with a focus on how a movie succeeded or failed with audiences.

Learn how to create subtext in a movie script.

An overview of the foundation principles of storytelling in easy to understand terms.

If you are new to the world of storytelling or need help to outline and edit a novel, screenplay, or play, this is the site for you!

A Story is a Promise & The Spirit of Storytelling is available for $2.99 from Amazon Kindle.

Principles of Storytelling

Foundation Principles of Storytelling

Story Line & Plot Line

Writing a Story Synopsis: Keep Your Story Dramatic

Embedding Story Ideas in Action

Storytelling and the Superconscious Mind

Novel Reviews that Explore Story Structure

Conveying a Character's Journey on the First Page of a Novel

Evoking a Novel's Environment

Complex Story, Simple Questions

Writing With Metaphors

Writing a Novel With a Message

Notes on Game of Thrones

Movie Reviews that Explore Principles of Storytelling

Using a Timeline to Tell a Story

Advancing a Story and Plot Via Revelation and Subtext

Writing to a Dramatic Purpose

Premise and Mystery

A review of the structure of Guardians of the Galaxy

A review of the horror film Polterheist

Capsule movie reviews that explore principles of storytelling

Play Reviews that Explore Principles of Creating Drama

Romeo and Juliet

Building Drama

Narrative Tension in Hamlet

Review of Death of a Salesman

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Developing Complex Characters Who Grow and Change

About the Author

Play Productions Learn about my productions around the US and overseas.

A Story is a Promise Blog Visit my writing blog on Blogger. Reviews of current movies,
guest posts, thoughts on the craft of storytelling.

Books by Bill Johnson

About

Contact See some photos of my performances at Collins View.

Manuscript Services Learn about my reviews of screenplays, novels, and plays.


Information about ordering Bill Johnson's A Story is a Promise & The Spirit of Storytelling from Amazon.

A Story is a Promise Available on Amazon.

All material on this web site copyright 1998-2026 Bill Johnson; all rights reserved.