NYU Selects The Way of Story for Writing Program

“As in mounds of vividly painted autumn leaves, The Way of Story allows its users to romp endlessly in a continuing world of discovery, imagination, and innovation. Its resources for the story teller are limitless and lasting.”

– Leslie Lee, Faculty, NYU and Broadway playwright

Students in New York University’s Writing Program will soon be using Ojai playwright/screenwriter Catherine Ann Jones’s The Way of Story in their writing classes.

The Way of Story offers students the elements needed to craft a good story as well as exercises designed to access the inner dimensions so critical to creating powerful characters and stories. The Way of Story is an integrative approach to writing all forms of narrative along with insights from Ms Jones own professional journey in New York and Hollywood.

“We’ve become lopsided living only in our heads. Writing, in order to serve the soul, must integrate outer craft with the inner world of intuition and feeling.”

– Catherine Ann Jones, New York Times interview

Jones reflected, “I am very pleased that NYU has selected The Way of Story for its writing program. I wrote the book for writers at all levels and all narrative forms including plays, screenplays, stories, novels, & memoirs. Among the ideas explored in the book are seven steps to story structure, how to create memorable characters & dialogue, balancing craft with intuitive skills and how to access and free your potential story. I have yet to meet a person who does not have at least one story to tell.”

Catherine Ann Jones is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter whose films include The Christmas Wife (Jason Robards) nominated for best picture and best writing, Unlikely Angel (Dolly Parton), Angel Passing (Hume Cronyn, Calista Flockhart) which played at Sundance and went on to win fifteen awards in festivals both here and abroad, and the popular television series, Touched by an Angel. Ten of her plays, including Calamity Jane, have been produced both in and out of New York City. In addition, she has published several essays and short stories.

A Fulbright Scholar in India and winner of the National Endowment for the Arts Award among others, Ms. Jones has served on the writing faculties of The New School University (New York City), University of Southern California (Los Angeles), and the Esalen Institute. Ms. Jones, M.A. in mythology and depth psychology, lives in Ojai, California, lectures internationally, and also works as a story and script consultant.