Begins Monday, January 11th, 2027

Class will meet weekly via Zoom on Mondays, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET

(Sessions: January 11, 18, 25, and February 1, 2027)

Now Enrolling! Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.

Instructor Bio

Instructor Andrew Buckley is a novelist, screenwriter, and keynote speaker who has spent more than twenty years crafting stories across page and screen. He is the author of Hair in All the Wrong Places, a darkly funny supernatural novel that blends teenage awkwardness with full-moon complications, and the co-writer of the feature horror-comedy Knight Terror. When he isn't writing novels, screenplays, or his next unreasonable number of projects, Andrew can usually be found searching for ways to bend space and time to fit more minutes into the day. He is represented by Nikki Terpilowski at Holloway Literary. Beyond traditional publishing, he also creates immersive narrative experiences, including the popular Deadly Dinner Parties series.

Who is this class for?

This online writing class is for fiction writers ready to level up their plotting and structure by studying multiple story frameworks, learning the art of structural analysis, and applying it directly to their own work. Whether you're a devoted plotter, a proud pantser, or somewhere in between, you'll leave with tools you can put to work immediately. If you have a project underway and want a stronger architectural foundation for it, this course is for you.

What to expect:

Every memorable story is built on a strong structural foundation. In this practical four-week writing workshop, you'll learn how professional writers use story architecture to create compelling plots, memorable turning points, satisfying climaxes, and emotionally resonant endings. Across four live Zoom sessions, we'll move from the underlying principles of structure to hands-on application on your own project.

We'll explore a range of proven storytelling frameworks, including Three-Act Structure, Freytag's Pyramid, the Hero's Journey, and Save the Cat, along with techniques for blending and adapting them to suit your voice, genre, and creative process. You'll also learn Andrew Buckley's original Writer's Sleight of Hand Method—a plotting approach inspired by the structure of stage magic. Rather than treating story as a fixed series of beats, Writer's Sleight of Hand focuses on controlling reader expectations through misdirection, escalation, reveals, and emotionally satisfying payoffs, giving writers a flexible alternative for building surprise and tension while maintaining strong narrative structure.

Through guided exercises, story analysis, and a collaborative movie breakdown, this creative writing workshop combines craft instruction with applied practice. You'll receive instructor feedback on your developing structure and finish with a working blueprint for your own project—plus a deeper understanding of the revision strategies that keep readers turning pages.

What are the writing goals?

In this course, students will produce a completed beat sheet or structural outline for a current writing project using the framework of their choice, along with a plot map identifying major turning points, conflicts, climaxes, and character progression. Students will develop a practical understanding of multiple story-structure models and when each is most effective, and will leave with a personalized structural approach that fits their writing style—whether they outline extensively or discover stories as they write.

Students are encouraged to share their developing beat sheets and outlines throughout the course. Andrew provides instructor feedback on structural decisions, pacing, story logic, and narrative development during class discussions and project workshops, and students also take part in guided peer analysis exercises designed to strengthen a project's overall architecture before drafting.

Readings

This is a craft-based class with no required textbook; core materials are provided through the classroom. Films and texts we'll analyze and discuss may include:

• Jaws (1975) – reverse-engineering story structure and narrative escalation
  
• Dirty Dancing (1987) – the Hero's Journey, Writer's Sleight of Hand, and emotional payoff
  
• The Mummy (1999) – Save the Cat and alternative structure breakdowns via story beats
  
• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – structural misdirection and expectation management
  
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – classical narrative payoff and character-driven structure
  
• The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler – modern narrative story structure

COURSE OUTLINE

Week 1: The Architecture of Story

Focus: Discover why story structure exists, why readers instinctively respond to it, and how to recognize the underlying architecture of successful stories. We'll explore foundational models including Three-Act Structure and Freytag's Pyramid, examining why structure is a flexible guide rather than a rigid formula. 

Activity: Students identify the structural shape of a favorite novel or film and begin mapping the major turning points of their own project.

Week 2: Hero's Journey, Save the Cat & Blending Frameworks

Focus: Compare two of the world's most influential plotting systems and explore when—and when not—to use them. Learn how experienced writers borrow from multiple frameworks instead of following any single formula.

Activity: Students create a beat sheet for their own story using one or more structural models and discuss which framework best supports their project's genre and goals.

Week 3: Writer's Sleight of Hand Method, Building Tension & Short Story Structure

Focus: Learn Andrew Buckley's original Writer's Sleight of Hand framework, which uses the principles of stage magic to design stories around misdirection, escalation, revelation, and payoff. We'll also examine techniques for sustaining tension and adapting structural principles to short fiction.

Activity: Students revise their existing outline using Writer's Sleight of Hand principles, identifying opportunities for stronger foreshadowing, twists, and emotional payoff.

Week 4: Reverse Engineering & Movie Breakdown

Focus: Apply everything learned by dissecting the structure of a successful film and examining why each major beat works. We'll also discuss common structural problems and strategies for revising works in progress.

Activity: Students workshop their own structural outlines in small groups, receive instructor feedback, and leave with a revised blueprint ready for drafting or revision.

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• A clear, adaptable story blueprint tailored to your writing style
  
• A working understanding of major structural models (Three-Act Structure, Freytag's Pyramid, the Hero's Journey, Save the Cat, and the Writer's Sleight of Hand Method)
  
• Practical tools for building tension, planting payoff, and designing strong act breaks
  
• Hands-on experience creating beat sheets and structural diagrams for your own project
  
• A completed beat sheet or structural outline and a plot map for a current project
  
• A sharper analytical eye for pacing, stakes, and narrative momentum in films and novels

TESTIMONIALS:

"Andrew is an expert presenter, who's incredibly confident and flexible and always sure to make everyone feel involved in an unforgettable session."
— Former Student

"Loved it so much. Energizing and exciting. Andrew has a calm personality. I like his style in teaching a class."
— Former Student

"Fantastic. Always great with Andrew—he teaches so well and I walk away encouraged and excited about writing."
— Former Student

"Although the class had aspiring authors of all ages, Andrew went out of his way to relate his teachings to all of us. Both older and younger writers were encouraged to interact with the class. Andrew managed to relate to our trepidation, calming our fears while encouraging even the most timid to continue to write. I would heartily encourage anyone who has even an inkling of interest in writing a novel to take this course and tap into your inner author!"
— Former Student

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Tuition is $330 USD. You can pay for the course in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout.

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

• Instructor: Andrew Buckley
  
• Begins Monday, January 11, 2027
  
• Class will meet weekly via Zoom on Mondays, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM ET (January 11, 18, 25, and February 1, 2027)
  
• Tuition is $330 USD.