The Idea: The Seven Elements of a Viable Story for Screen, Stage, or Fiction

THE IDEA is a manual for conquering the most important part of the writing process—the first part. Most writers (and most screenwriting and fiction writing books) rush past the process of choosing a story idea, and focus primarily on the writing of it. And this is the biggest reason most projects don’t move forward in the marketplace: agents, producers and editors are underwhelmed by the central concept or premise. In this audio version of the multi-category Amazon #1 bestseller, two-time Emmy- and Golden Globe–winning screenwriter and producer Erik Bork (HBO’s Band of Brothers) explains the seven key ingredients in stories that have a chance of selling and reaching a wide audience—in any genre or medium.

“Before starting any project, every film or TV writer, whether new or experienced, should read this book. When Erik sent it to me, I was just beginning a new script. This book showed me problems with the idea I didn't know I had. Better yet, it showed me how to find solutions.”
—Graham Yost, writer/executive producer/showrunner, Justified, The Americans, Speed

“Don’t write a word of your next screenplay or novel, and don’t dive into any other books—including mine—until you’ve read Erik Bork’s The Idea. His simple, essential insights will spare you the pain of spending months or years on your project, only to learn that your concept was doomed from the start. Instead, apply his 7 Elements and guarantee your story goes to the top of every reader’s RECOMMEND list.”
—Michael Hauge, author, Writing Screenplays That Sell; Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds; Storytelling Made Easy