Robert McKee

I first became aware of Robert McKee when I read Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principals of Screenwriting. This book alone impressed me enough to consider him one of my heroes.

Even as a kid, I wanted to understand stories. I wanted to be able to create stories at least somewhat similar to the ones that I found inspiring. And I managed to keep some of those early attempts.

Throughout school, I read lots of classics, science fiction, fantasy, and other genres. I watched a lot of movies. I listened to musicals over and over. I began to consider what made my favorite stories work.

In college, I took acting, philosophy, and writing classes that provided more insights into storytelling. When I finally read Robert McKee’s amazing book, it all came together for me. He helped me understand the elements of a good story, and he provided context for the huge variety of stories that can work.

Even if I wasn’t particularly good at writing stories, I became more confident in my ability to diagnose what was working and what wasn’t working in any given story.

If I ever doubted my love of storytelling, Robert McKee’s Story made it obvious.

Note: He’s also written several other good books including Character and Dialogue.