Making Your Story Idea Commercial - Key Issues Writers Must Address to Succeed in the New Paradigm

This special episode replays Zena's recent presentation as a guest on Writers Chat, where she was invited to speak on how writers can make their story ideas commercial. The answer, Zena says, is not as simple as it once was, because we've entered a new paradigm when it comes to storytelling. No longer do the old rules apply in terms of what gets published or made into a movie. Today, in order for you to have what the industry deems "a commercial story idea," you'll need a bigger story. 

In other words, there's no room today for a one-off, or a stand alone story. What the powers that be want and need is for writers to create story WORLDS. You have to be able to create a universe that has the potential to host more than one kind of story, something with transmedia potential.

Given the realities of the way things are today, Zena discusses the kinds of things that writers need to take into account when they're developing their story ideas so that they can maximize their chances of success, but it's important that they don't lose sight of their own passions in the process. To this end, Zena also suggests important things for writers to consider so as to avoid letting the new paradigm stifle us, derail us or demoralize us completely.