"John Truby is one of the most respected and sought-after story consultants in the film industry, and his students have gone on to pen some of Hollywood's most successful films, including Sleepless in Seattle, Scream, and Shrek. The Anatomy of Story is his long-awaited first book, and in it he shares all his secrets for writing a compelling script. Based on the lessons in his class, Great Screenwriting, The Anatomy of Story draws on a broad range of concepts and archetypes from philosophy and mythology, offering techniques and anecdotes alongside Truby's own unique approach to building an effective, multifaceted narrative." "Truby's method of constructing a story is at once perceptive and practical, focusing on the hero's moral and emotional growth. Writers will dig deep within and explore their own values and worldview in order to create an effective story. They will come away with a precise set of tools to employ - specific techniques to make the audience care about their characters. They will learn how to make their characters grow in meaningful ways, how to construct surprising plots that are unique to their particular concepts, and how to express a moral vision that can move an audience." "The foundations of story that Truby lays out are so fundamental that they are applicable - and essential - to all writers, from novelists and short story writers to journalists, memoirists, and writers of narrative nonfiction."--Jacket.