Jen Grisanti

The Good Word Writer's Retreat
2024-05-28 - 2024-06-03
A RETREAT CREATED BY A WRITER FOR WRITERS

May 28 – June 3, 2024
PATMOS

A retreat that schedules time for you to write! A minimum of 3 consecutive hours a day dedicated to your writing, with no scheduled activities.

SIX NIGHTS SURROUNDED BY LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS IN THE SEASIDE OASIS, THAT IS PATMOS, GREECE
***
TWO AND A HALF HOURS OF PRIVATE ONE ON ONE TIME WITH YOUR MENTOR IN ADDITION TO DAILY GROUP SESSIONS PLUS NOTES
***
A CHOICE TO STUDY WITH A MENTOR AND POLISH AND REWRITE
OR
A CHOICE TO FILM A SCENE FROM YOUR PROJECT WITH PROFESSIONAL ACTORS
***
AN ON-SITE FILM FESTIVAL TO SHARE YOUR PREVIOUS WORK WITH YOUR PEERS
***
A COLD READING OF YOUR PILOT OR FEATURE IN GREECE *
***
A FOLLOW UP READING OF YOUR PILOT OR FEATURE IN HOLLYWOOD, CA. *
***
A FOLLOW UP CHECK-IN, POST RETREAT WITH YOUR MENTOR
AND
BREAKFAST BUFFET AND DINNER DAILY
A WELCOME PARTY
A FAREWELL GALA
A SUNSET SAIL
A PRIVATE ON-LINE GROUP TO CONNECT
AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!
*may be limited to the first ten pages

Screenwriters Safari in South Africa
2024-09-25 - 2024-09-30
INSPIRED UNDER AFRICAN SKIES

Have you got something really fabulous to look forward to? 5 nights in luxury with Hollywood mentors on this Screenwriters Safari in South Africa. Breathe new life into your script. Book your spot with one of the 4 exceptional mentors. Only 16 spots available in total (4 per mentor).

Have a safari vacation of a lifetime while you network and learn from some of the most connected film and screenwriting professionals in Hollywood. Take your screenwriting career to the next level, and who knows where that next level may be! Learn more here!

Jen Grisanti

Joey Tuccio

Meg LeFauve

Javier Grillo-Marxuach

Writing with Intention: Mining Emotional Truth (free webinar)
2025-01-14 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
In this all-new 2025 course, Writing with Intention: Mining Emotional Truth in TV, Film, & Novels, you will receive the same information, education, and access that is offered in network writing fellowships. Pricing will be posted after the FREE WEBINAR on January 14, 2025.
https://youtu.be/7vAUInbj4os?si=USy9fvKcXz5Wfhu5
Levels 4 and 5 are by submission only.
Submissions will be accepted from January 7 through January 25, 2025. Submit the first ten pages of one of your scripts. (It doesn’t have to be the script you want to work on.)
COURSE STRUCTURE
PHASE 1
Upon purchase of the 6-Week Teleseminar, you will receive story modules. They are your story instructions for the course. You will have access to these modules for one year from date-of-purchase.
PHASE 2
The live online component starts on Tuesday, February 4, at 7:00 pm PST. Each class is approximately two and a half hours in length. During the first part of each class, I will give a short presentation on Writing with Intention. Next, there will be five writers rotating in who will receive feedback. Following that, we will have a working writer as a guest speaker for the last hour of each class. Five writers will have an opportunity to pitch their concept or discuss three problems that they are having with their story and ask for advice.
All live online classes will be recorded. You will receive the recordings the day
after the class.
PHASE 3
You will book a one-on-one session with me to receive direct feedback on your project. The number of sessions you receive will depend on your level.
PARTICIPATION OPTIONS
LEVEL 1

You will receive the story modules
You will participate in the six live online classes and receive all recordings
You will get to turn in a logline and a 2–3 page document that gives a synopsis of your story and includes a half-hour one-on-one consult that you can book up to a year after the class

THERE WILL BE MULTIPLE RATES:

LAUNCH WEEK RATE (1/14 – 1/21/25)
REGULAR RATE (For new participants who sign up after 1/22/25)
Alum RATE (if you’ve taken any of my previous courses or had any one-on-one consults)

LEVEL 2 – ONLY 10 SPOTS AVAILABLE

You will receive the story modules
You will participate in the six live online classes and receive all recordings
You will get to rotate in one time to receive feedback on your concept during the live class
You will have an opportunity to pitch to or get advice from one of the guest speakers
This level includes a half-hour one-on-one consult to review your concept and a one-hour coaching session to review your script (there will be a different TV or Feature rate)

THERE WILL BE MULTIPLE RATES:

LAUNCH WEEK RATE (1/14 – 1/21/25)
REGULAR RATE (For new participants who sign up after 1/22/25)
Alum RATE (if you’ve taken any of my previous courses or had any one-on-one consults)

LEVEL 3 – ONLY 10 SPOTS AVAILABLE

You will receive the story modules
You will participate in the six live online classes and receive all recordings
You will get to rotate in one time to receive feedback on your concept during the live class
You will have an opportunity to pitch a guest speaker
This level includes two one-on-one meetings to go over your script. They can be booked up to a year after purchase (there will be a different TV or Feature rate)

THERE WILL BE MULTIPLE RATES:

LAUNCH WEEK RATE (1/14 – 1/21/25)
REGULAR RATE (For new participants who sign up after 1/22/25)
Alum RATE (if you’ve taken any of my previous courses or had any one-on-one consults)

LEVEL 4 – ONLY 2 SPOTS AVAILABLE – BY SUBMISSION ONLY
Submissions will be accepted from January 7 through January 25, 2025. Submit the first ten pages.

You will receive the story modules
You will participate in the six live online classes and receive all recordings
You will get to rotate in two times to receive feedback on your concept during the live class
You will have two opportunities to pitch a guest speaker
This level includes three one-on-one meetings to go over your script. They can be booked up to a year after purchase (there will be a different TV or Feature rate)

IF YOU ARE SELECTED, THE RATE WILL POST ON 1/22/25
LEVEL 5 – ONLY 2 SPOTS AVAILABLE – SUBMISSION ONLY
Submissions will be accepted from January 7 through January 25, 2025. Submit the first ten pages.

You will receive the story modules
You will participate in the six live online classes and receive all recordings
You will get to rotate in three times to receive feedback on your concept during the live class
You will have two opportunities to pitch a guest speaker
This level includes four one-on-one meetings to discuss your script. You can book them up to a year after purchase (there will be a different TV or Feature rate)

IF YOU ARE SELECTED, THE RATE WILL POST ON 1/22/25

2025 GUEST SPEAKERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN JANUARY.
BELOW ARE LAST YEAR’S 2024 GUEST SPEAKERS.

2024 GUEST SPEAKERS

MARK GOFFMAN
Mark Goffman is currently executive producer and writer for the NBC series THE IRRATIONAL. Before this, he was an executive producer and writer on the Netflix series THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY. Goffman also executive produced and was a showrunner on the hit series BULL on CBS and SLEEPY HOLLOW on Fox. He served as an executive producer and writer for LIMITLESS on CBS and USA’s WHITE COLLAR. Goffman first started on THE WEST WING, where he wrote for several seasons. Afterward, Goffman ran the writers’ room for Aaron Sorkin’s STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, also on NBC. Goffman has worked on over 200 hours of scripted television, been nominated for two Writers Guild Awards, and won the Entertainment Industries Council SET Award. An episode he wrote of LAW & ORDER: SVU garnered Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for Mariska Hargitay. Goffman’s feature directorial debut is DUMBSTRUCK, a documentary about ventriloquists, theatrically released by Magnolia Pictures. Goffman began his career as a writer in Brussels for the magazine Commerce in Belgium. He has a Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, wrote speeches for state and federally elected officials, consulted to the U.S. military, Intelligence, Department of State and White House. Goffman has a B.A. from Emory University in Economics and Philosophy and served as a Masters Thesis Adviser, Fiction Writing Program, at Johns Hopkins University. His first play, ME TOO, has run in Los Angeles and Indianapolis.

LINDSAY GOFFMAN
Lindsay is the founder of Gratitude Production, with projects in collaboration with major companies such as Apple, F.X., Amazon Freevee, Perfect Storm, The Roots, Day Zero, Get Lifted, Jon M. Chu, MGM, and Universal Television. Her recent accomplishments include producing “THE COMPANY YOU KEEP,” a series based on a Korean format, which premiered to rave reviews and is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Previously, Lindsay championed the hit series THE GOOD DOCTOR after discovering the Korean format early on. The show became ABC’s #1 new series and was awarded the Humanitas Prize. Lindsay actively contributes to various arts and entertainment organizations, mentors the Hollywood Radio and Television Society, serves on the board of the Creative Coalition, and participates in the Media Xchange. Lindsay’s advisory roles include Girls Inc. and One Hope Wine, a purpose-driven community, and she judges at renowned events like the Austin Film Festival and the UCLA Screenwriter Showcase. Her work has been recognized with awards, including the 2022 Anthem Award, and she was nominated for the L.A. Business Journal’s Women Leadership Award in 2023.

JAVIER GRILLO MARXUACH
Javier “Javi” Grillo-Marxuach is one of the Emmy Award-winning producers of Lost and Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and is currently Executive Producer of the hit Netflix series The Witcher. His work includes stints as writer/producer on From, Cowboy Bebop, Blood and Treasure, Raising Dion, The 100, Medium, Boomtown, and the original Charmed. An advocate of mentorship and education, Grillo-Marxuach and his family have granted scholarships for writers at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and the Creative Writing program at Carnegie Mellon University, and he is co-host and co-creator of the Children of Tendu podcast, an educational series for aspiring television writers. Javi is Puerto Rican; his name is pronounced: “HA-VEE-AIR GREE-JOE MARKS-WATCH.”

BRANDON MARGOLIS AND BRANDON SONNIER
Brandon Margolis and Brandon Sonnier are a writing/producing team who served as Creators/ Showrunners of the BAD BOYS spinoff series L.A.’S FINEST starring Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba. The Brandons started in the prestigious NBC/Universal Writers On The Verge program. They went on to rise through the ranks for five seasons on Sony/NBC’s hit drama series THE BLACKLIST while developing multiple Cable and Network T.V. pilots. Most recently, the Brandons served as Co-Executive Producers on season 6 of CBS’s SWAT and Executive Producers on season 2 of ALERT on FOX.

AUDREY KNOX
Audrey Knox is a Literary Manager at Cartel Entertainment. I have clients in film and television, among whom are writers staffed on SINGLE DRUNK FEMALE, GINNY & GEORGIA, and P-VALLEY and are writing for Disney, Netflix, Nickelodeon, and Hallmark. I am an Associate Producer of the Tubi feature film CRUSHED, written by my client Heidi Lux. My client Alanna Francis’ feature ALICE, DARLING, recently premiered at TIFF to rave reviews. I have experience in scripted and unscripted television, on-set, production, and writers’ rooms.

MATTHEW SALSBERG
Matthew Salsberg is a television writer and producer from Montreal, Canada, who resides in Los Angeles. His writing career began in 1998 with “The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo.” From 1999-2001, he was an Executive Story Editor on “Big Wolf On Campus,” for which he was nominated for a Gemini Award (Canadian Emmy) for Best Writing in a Youth Series. He then went on to staff in 2002 to the NBC series “The Jake Effect” and the 2003 CBS Comedy “The Stones.” In 2003, he sold three stories to season 3 of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and the Pilot “Doorman” to NBC with Broadway Video. In 2004, he was a co-producer on “Entourage”. From 2005-2012, he was a producer, supervising producer, co-executive producer, and Executive Producer on “Weeds”. In 2007, he wrote and E.P.’d the pilot “Me and Lee” for Fox. He was under an overall deal at Lionsgate Television from 2009-2012. In 2011, he wrote the pilot “Whales” for Showtime. In 2014, he wrote the pilot “Fantasyland” for Amazon Studios. In 2015, he was the E.P. and pilot writer for HBO’s “Wilderness,” co-created with Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. In 2017, he was a co-ep on “The Untitled Josh Brolin Project” for WHIP studios. In 2019, he was a Consulting Producer on Showtimes “Kidding”. In 2021/2022, he was a co-executive producer on Matthew Weiner’s Untitled Project for F.X. and sold the pilot “Almost Friends” to Netflix. Additionally, in 2012/2013, he won the World Poker Tour Season 11’s Player of the Year.

JIM ADLER
Jim Adler was born in Miami to a family of Cuban/Honduran immigrants on one side and Mid-Western transplants on the other. He was raised in a bilingual household and spent his childhood summers with family in Honduras. When Jim was 7, his mother moved them to California to live in a new age ashram, part of a religious cult. Having begun college as an electrical engineer, he has a deep interest in science and technology. Jim curates a web group devoted to unusual crime stories, has a passion for espionage, and worries a lot about climate change. He was most recently a Co-EP on THE GOOD DOCTOR (ABC/Sony Pictures T.V.) and worked prior to that on MACGYVER and CASTLE, and he also developed a horror pilot for Starz. He is an active member of the WGA’s Latinx Writers Committee and is fluent in Spanish.

Writing With Intention Course
2025-02-04 19:00 - 2025-03-18 22:00
Interested in learning about this course? Watch the 1/14/2025 recording of the Writing with Intention FREE WEBINAR (passcode: [REDACTED]
In this all-new 2025 course, Writing with Intention: Mining Emotional Truth in TV, Film, & Novels, you will receive the same information, education, and access that is offered in network writing fellowships.

COURSE STRUCTURE
PHASE 1
Upon purchase of the 6-Week Teleseminar, you will receive story modules. They are your story instructions for the course. You will have access to these modules for one year from date-of-purchase.
PHASE 2
The live online component starts on Tuesday, February 4, at 7:00 pm PST. Each class is approximately two and a half hours in length. During the first part of each class, I will give a short presentation on Writing with Intention. Next, there will be five writers rotating in who will receive feedback. Following that, we will have a working writer as a guest speaker for the last hour of each class. Five writers will have an opportunity to pitch their concept or discuss three problems that they are having with their story and ask for advice.
All live online classes will be recorded. You will receive the recordings the day after the class.
PHASE 3
You will book a one-on-one session with me to receive direct feedback on your project. The number of sessions you receive will depend on your level.
PARTICIPATION OPTIONS
LEVEL 1

You will receive the story modules
You will participate in the six live online classes and receive all recordings
You will get to turn in a logline and a 2–3 page document that gives a synopsis of your story and includes a half-hour one-on-one consult that you can book up to a year after the class

LEVEL 2

You will receive the story modules
You will participate in the six live online classes and receive all recordings
You will get to rotate in one time to receive feedback on your concept during the live class
You will have an opportunity to pitch to or get advice from one of the guest speakers
This level includes a half-hour one-on-one consult to review your concept and a one-hour coaching session to review your script (there will be a different TV or Feature rate)

LEVEL 3

You will receive the story modules
You will participate in the six live online classes and receive all recordings
You will get to rotate in one time to receive feedback on your concept during the live class
You will have an opportunity to pitch a guest speaker
This level includes two one-on-one meetings to go over your script. They can be booked up to a year after purchase (there will be a different TV or Feature rate)

LEVEL 4 (BY SUBMISSION ONLY)

You will receive the story modules
You will participate in the six live online classes and receive all recordings
You will get to rotate in two times to receive feedback on your concept during the live class
You will have two opportunities to pitch a guest speaker
This level includes three one-on-one meetings to go over your script. They can be booked up to a year after purchase (there will be a different TV or Feature rate)

LEVEL 5 (BY SUBMISSION ONLY)

You will receive the story modules
You will participate in the six live online classes and receive all recordings
You will get to rotate in three times to receive feedback on your concept during the live class
You will have two opportunities to pitch a guest speaker
This level includes four one-on-one meetings to discuss your script. You can book them up to a year after purchase (there will be a different TV or Feature rate)

2025 GUEST SPEAKERS

JAVIER GRILLO-MARXUACH
Javier “Javi” Grillo-Marxuach is one of the Emmy Award-winning producers of Lost and Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and is currently Executive Producer of the hit Netflix series The Witcher. His work includes stints as writer/producer on From, Cowboy Bebop, Blood and Treasure, Raising Dion, The 100, Medium, Boomtown, and the original Charmed. An advocate of mentorship and education, Grillo-Marxuach and his family have granted scholarships for writers at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and the Creative Writing program at Carnegie Mellon University, and he is co-host and co-creator of the Children of Tendu podcast, an educational series for aspiring television writers. Javi is Puerto Rican; his name is pronounced: “HA-VEE-AIR GREE-JOE MARKS-WATCH.”

TED HUMPHREY
Ted Humphrey is a writer, producer, director and showrunner and the founder and principal of Algorithm Entertainment, a film and television production company based at CBS Television Studios in Los Angeles. Currently, he is the Executive Producer, co-creator/developer and showrunner of the upcoming Netflix series “THE LINCOLN LAWYER,” based on the Michael Connelly novels. He was previously the creator, showrunner and Executive Producer of the CBS drama series “WISDOM OF THE CROWD,” and is perhaps best known as a writer, director and Executive Producer of the acclaimed CBS series “THE GOOD WIFE,” as well as the showrunner/Executive Producer of the Syfy series “INCORPORATED.” He has written and produced series for many networks in both broadcast and cable, as well as several feature films.For his work on “THE GOOD WIFE,” he was honored with multiple Emmy, Golden Globe and Writer’s Guild nominations for Best Drama Series, as well as a Writer’s Guild nomination for Best Episodic Drama Script and the Voices of Courage and Conscience Award from the Muslim Public Affairs Council for his first season episode, “Boom.” “THE GOOD WIFE” also earned a Peabody Award and was twice honored with the American Film Institute’s Award for Excellence in Film and Television.Ted is a graduate of Georgetown University, and holds law and graduate degrees from the University of Virginia. He began his career as an attorney in Washington D.C., before coming to his senses.

CARLA KETTNER
Carla Kettner was born in Calgary, Canada. After graduating USC she moved to Australia and became a journalist and award-winning short story author. Kettner quickly transitioned into writing and producing Australian television and a few years later moved back to Los Angeles. Since then she has written and produced hundreds of hours of television, primarily dramas. She was Executive Producer of “The Blacklist”, “Bones”, “Vanished” and “Mob Doctor”. Other credits include “Zoo”, “Night Shift”, “Early Edition” and “Judging Amy”.Kettner has written pilots for Fox, ABC, NBC and CBS. She co-created and was showrunner on the Spectrum Originals/Roku Originals crimedy “Panhandle” and is currently showrunner on “ALERT: Missing Persons Unit” for Fox. Kettner has multiple projects in development with Sony.In the spirit of fostering the next generation of TV talent, Kettner has lectured and sat on panels for USC School of Cinema-Television, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Johns Hopkins University, Boston University, and has done multiple screenwriting seminars and podcasts.

BRANDON MARGOLIS
Brandon Margolis and Brandon Sonnier are a writing/producing team who served as Creators/ Showrunners of the BAD BOYS spinoff series L.A.’S FINEST starring Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba. The Brandons started in the prestigious NBC/Universal Writers On The Verge program. They went on to rise through the ranks for five seasons on Sony/NBC’s hit drama series THE BLACKLIST while developing multiple Cable and Network T.V. pilots. Most recently, the Brandons served as Co-Executive Producers on season 6 of CBS’s SWAT and Executive Producers on season 2 of ALERT on FOX.

MATTHEW NIX
Matthew Nix is an American writer, producer, and director. He is best known for creating the television series Burn Notice, The Good Guys, and The Gifted.

VANESSA TAYLOR
Vanessa Taylor has worked widely in television, most recently as Co-Executive Producer on HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” Her feature films include “Hope Springs,” “Divergent,” “Hillbilly Elegy,” and “The Shape of Water,” for which she received an Oscar nomination.

ACTIVATING THE PURPOSE IN STORY, CHARACTER, & PLOT (Part l)
2025-09-24 18:00 - 20:00
PART ONE: SEPTEMBER 2025 EVENT

Sign up today!
REGULAR OFFER RATE – $497
ALUM RATE – $297
STARTS
September 24, 2025, at 6:00 pm PT with a 2-hour webinar
STORY TRAINING SESSIONS
September 29th at 6:00 pm and October 6, 2025, at 6:00 pm
(Every participant will have the opportunity to pitch, answer story questions, or share where they are struggling with their writing.)
STORY MODULES
They will come out on October 13, 2025.
Write the stories that are flowing through you. They come with a purpose. If you learn to add meaning to your story, characters, and plot, opportunities will follow.
WHAT YOU WILL MASTER IN THIS COURSE

Information
Activation
Application

INFORMATION
The course begins with a 2-hour Webinar on September 24th at 6:00 pm PT, where I will share how to delve into the purpose of your story, character, and plot.
ACTIVATION
We will have two nights of Story Training for you to practice your pitch, talk about your story, and share the struggles you are having with your writing.
APPLICATION
You will receive Story Modules on October 13th. These modules will include multiple lessons on developing the purpose of story, character, and plot, including story breakdowns, graphs, handouts, and homework.
MODULE 1
Understanding The Purpose of the Story
Creating a Compelling Story
Activating Stories
Types of Stories
List of Purposes for Story
Story Breakdowns
Adolescence
Dying For Sex
The Bear – Season 4 Episode 1
The Studio
A Real Pain (feature)
Broken Country (Novel)
MODULE 2
Developing Memorable Characters
Character Arcs and Growth
The Role of Characters In Story
Creating Complex Characters
MODULE 3
Crafting an Engaging Plot
Plot Development and Pacing
Understanding Plot Structure
Plot Twists and Surprises
PART TWO: FEBRURARY 2026 EVENT
6-WEEK TELESEMINAR: February 3 -March 10
(available for purchase in January 2026)
STARTS
February 3rd at 7:00 pm PT and runs through March 10
COURSE INCLUDES

GUEST SPEAKERS – TO BE ANNOUNCED
Details to follow

ACTIVATING THE PURPOSE IN STORY, CHARACTER, & PLOT: 6-WEEK TELESEMINAR
2026-02-03 19:00 - 21:30
ACTIVATING THE PURPOSE OF STORY, CHARACTER, and PLOT: 6-WEEK TELESEMINAR
STARTS
February 3 at 7 pm PT and runs through March 10
COURSE STRUCTURE
PHASE 1
When you buy the 6-Week Teleseminar, you will get story modules that serve as your course instructions. You will have access to these modules for one year from the purchase date.
*PHASE 2
The live online component begins on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 7 pm PST. Each session lasts approximately 2.5 hours.

During the first part of each class, I will give a brief presentation on the angle of Activating Purpose in Story, Character, & Plot.
Next, 3-4 writers will rotate in and receive feedback.
Then, we will have a working writer as a guest speaker for the last hour of each class. Five writers will have an opportunity to pitch their concept or discuss three problems that they are having with their story and ask for advice.

All live online classes will be recorded for future reference. You will receive the recordings the day after the class.
PHASE 3
You will book a one-on-one session with me to receive direct feedback on your project. The number of sessions you receive will depend on your level.
CLICK HERE FOR PARTICIPATION OPTIONS
2026 GUEST SPEAKERS

Keto ShimizuMichael NarducciVanessa TaylorEugene Garcia CrossAaron Rahsaan ThomasCarla Kettner
