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One of the most popular blog entries I have ever written in terms of people stumbling on it from Google is the article I wrote about John Truby and the way he sells his “22 step” courses.

Today someone wrote a good comment on that blog entry which got me thinking about Truby’s advertising methods again, so I decided to look through any emails I still had from him in my inbox to see what they said. Maybe I was stupid to diss his advertising techniques?

Here’s choice quote number 1:

Why not work like the professionals?

Key point: top professionals use fundamentally different tools than amateur writers. These techniques include everything from grand story strategy to scene sequencing to setting up and paying off scene patterns to blending dialogue.

Yet most books and courses on screenwriting in today’s market teach a simple one-size-fits-all approach useful only by beginners. Isn’t it time you abandon obsolete script theories and step up to the professional ranks?

This course will teach you literally hundreds of professional techniques that will allow you to compete with the best. This flagship class of the Truby’s Writers Studio, taken by over 20,000 students worldwide, wins awards year after year as the best writing class in America. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to master your craft.

WTF?

Pro writers most certainly throw the rule book out of the window when it suits them, but would we agree that pro writers use different screenwriting techniques from those listed in books? Urm. No not really.

The difference between being a pro writer and being an amateur is writing stuff that doesn’t stink. No more no less.

My objection with Truby always stems from the fact his advertising shpeel always seems to target writer’s insecurities, and would we not agree that the above quote is very much doing that?

It is basically saying “The biggest secret that no one is willing to tell you (except me for £250 +VAT) is that pro writers learn a completely different theory about writing than you did, kinda shocking huh? You thought they were just talented and worked hard, but nope, they somehow got entry to a super secret pro writer’s society and were taught the super secret writing techniques that have never been allowed to pass into public”

Rightio.

Here’s the quote that started it all, inspiring me to write the first blog about Truby and his 22 steps. The one that first made me think “wait a minute, isn’t this just cheap salesmanship”

Why 3-Act Will Kill Your Writing

The so-called 3-act structure is the biggest, most destructive myth ever foisted on writers. I would like to call it obsolete. But that implies that it worked in the first place. It didn’t. Let me explain why.

I think advertising the course in this way is very clever because not only does it have all the same connotations of the first quote, that you are missing out on the true, proper theory needed to succeed; but I think it also taps into that anti-theory sentiment out there. There’s a lot of people who dislike the whole notion of screenwriting theory in general, thinking that it is too Hollywood, leads to generic scripts etc; and I think that by coming out there and publicly denouncing 3 act structure all those people will think “Well maybe his guy’s theory is one worth checking out, because I know I hate the whole notion of 3 act structure and here is a guy who says it stinks, and he knows what he is talking about surely.”

This gets us back into the territory of my previous blog, that really I’m not sure there is much difference between Truby’s 22 steps and a 3 act structure theory anyways, it’s basically the same information laid out in a different diagram… but maybe the differences will become more clear after I have read his book. Speaking of which…

I’m not dissing his work, honest!

I just wanna make it clear, I’m not dissing his theories really so much as the way he advertises them. I’m planning to pick up his book in the near future and I genuinely hope it’s a good book and that it teaches me a few useful things.

I just think that his advertising reminds me of the worst aspects of this “guru” industry, not just in screenwriting but in other things like dieting and self help plans. That stuff just bugs me.

But whatever opinion you have of Truby, there is no need to ever go to one of his lectures ever again. Just buy his book instead!

At least if you are a regular person who needs money to live off. I just don’t see how £250 + VAT represents good value for money when you can pick up his book on amazon for £15.

Why should anyone spend close to £300 to hear a guy give a condensed version of a book which you can read in full for £15? Why would anyone spend close to £300 for a one-off event when for £15 you can go back to his theories whenever you want for years to come?

Sure on these sorts of events you can ask him some questions and get other perks, these talks aren’t completely without their merits… but not £300 worth of merits!

Don’t believe me?

I’ve been reading a bunch of posts over at the excellent UNK Screenwriting blog of late, including this one, all about attending a McKee lecture where he word for word regurgitates his book, and I know from my own experience that other lecturers I’ve seen have just regurgitated their book almost word for word. Why would Truby be any different? Trust me folks when I say this… just buy the book and save yourself the money!