This week we are getting the professional Hollywood “zhoosh!”

Developmental editor and writing coach Kristina Paider shares how she became the “story doctor.” Starting in a small town in Wisconsin, while bleeding green and gold for the Packers, Paider takes us along her path through Journalism, International PR, and then her courageous decision to fully immerse herself in screenwriting and book doctoring.

Whether she’s jumping down waterfalls, being a chocolate chef, or riding motorcycles around the Dominican Republic, Kristina Paider’s journey of Great Work is nothing short of a Hollywood Thrill Ride.

Whether she’s jumping down waterfalls, being a chocolate chef, or riding motorcycles around the Dominican Republic, Kristina Paider’s journey of Great Work is nothing short of a Hollywood Thrill Ride. 

She started her journey as a Hollywood story analyst, and has since done all the story-related careers: screenwriter, author (of the Hollywood Approach, a GREAT book!), ghostwriter, speechwriter, and book coach. 

My favorite moments in this week’s interview are when Kristina talks about her own creative writing projects. 

As she’s been writing Hollywood scripts “on spec” she’s been drawing inspiration from all around the world of words. 

Sometimes her mentors are characters, or the stories themselves, or other screenwriters she admires. 

When you are in the business of telling stories, you see them everywhere! 

Join us as we discuss: 

01:41 Kristina’s Great Work

11:29 What is Character DNA

12:38 Savages to Structure

14:35 Creating an environment into which a character can express their full self 

16:01 If you’re creating a book or a screenplay, it’s got to have a rhythm

18:16 Unleashing your voice to express something in a way that’s truer to the character DNA

24:12 Achieving Narrative Transport

26:07 The Hollywood Approach book

31:57 Overcoming uncertainty and self doubt

35:49 Stay curious and be seeking, you have to be seeking the thing that you want to do 

36:24 The opportunities that Kristina seized

44:13 Storytelling is about the story you’re living

About the author

Dr. Amanda Crowell is a cognitive psychologist and business coach who helps accidental entrepreneurs get more clients and have a bigger impact. She is the author of Great Work, the host of the Unleashing Your Great Work podcast, and the creator of the Great Work Journals. Amanda's TEDx talk has received almost two million views and has been featured on TED's Ideas blog and Ted Shorts. Her ideas have also been featured on NPR, Al Jazeera, The Wall Street Journal, Quartz, and Thrive Global.

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