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Bill Johnson
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I wrote fiction for many years and always hit a certain ceiling until I met David Morgan, a literary agent who had studied with Lagos Egri. David opened my eyes to a deeper understanding of the craft of storytelling. As a teacher, I find that many writers struggle because while they believe what they are doing is the same as published authors, they are more often blind imitators. By teaching people to recognize how popular stories are told, I try and help them transfer that understanding to their writing. I'm a produced playwright, and I find theater to be one of the most primal forms of storytelling. Two of my after life plays, Satan Offers Lassie a Room of Her Own and Judas, will be performed this fall in Boston and Provincetown. I've done film work for hire, and have worked for Neal McDonough and Billy Snowden. I've also done script work on several low-budget films.
Birth Place: Portland, OR USA
Accomplishments: Author, A Story is a Promise.
Several produced plays.
I've worked on several films.
Long time board member of the Northwest Playwrights Guild.
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Buy your Autographed copy today! >>
A Story is a Promise & Deep Characterization $14.95,
Books
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Short Stories
Going Straight on the Merry-Go-Round by Bill Johnson
A ten minute play by Bill Johnson....
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Poetry
Looking Back by Bill Johnson
Life Goes On Behind Door Number Two by Bill Johnson
A meditation on life....
Going Home by Bill Johnson
A poem about the idea of going home....
Dinner Time is the Right Time by Bill Johnson
The delight of eating....
A Waterfall of Feeling by Bill Johnson
A Hearty Affair by Bill Johnson
The hazzards of falling in love....
I Am A Deranged Prairie Dog by Bill Johnson
A poem by Bill Johnson about lost love and the end of the universe, plus or minus a few broken hearts....
The Deadly Sheep by Bill Johnson
The Constant Friend by Bill Johnson
A poem about those who pray for death as a release from mental pain....
Ode To Invisibility by Bill Johnson
Big White Bug Killer by Bill Johnson
A poem about the nature of violence and war....
Woman in Blue on Floor by Bill Johnson
To Eros, Fading by Bill Johnson
How Is It? by Bill Johnson
WHAT LIGHT THINKS ABOUT by Bill Johnson
The Parade of Life by Bill Johnson
How's That Again, My Secret Self Didn't Hear You by Bill Johnson
To Maude, From An Admirer of Harold by Bill Johnson
The One-Upspersonship Parade by Bill Johnson
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Articles
Writing a Novel With a Stuck Main Character by Bill Johnson
Notes on the structure of The Kite Runner...
The Power of Ambiguity by Bill Johnson
Notes on the play that explore who the story creates ambiguity....
Creativity and Meditation by Bill Johnson
Using meditative techniques to help with creativity....
Stories and Feelings by Bill Johnson
An essay about how stories are journeys of feeling for a story's audience....
Embedding Story Ideas in Action by Bill Johnson
Thoughts on how to set a story into motion in opening scenes....
Taking Your Audience into Orbit Around a Story's World by Bill Johnson
An article about point of view....
Book of Revelations by Bill Johnson
A review of the film Run Lola Run that explores the process of creating revelations in a story....
Creating Fulfillment by Bill Johnson
A comparion of the films The Sixth Sense and Stir of Echoes to explore how one film created a more dramatically fulfilling story....
Movies as Healing Journeys by Bill Johnson
Using movies to understand life''s problems....
Throwing Your Characters Over The Edge by Bill Johnson
An article about putting story characters into situations where they are compelled to act....
Give Me A Dramatic Truth or Give Me Death! by Bill Johnson
A review of the Japanese movie After Life that explores how the truth of each character is set out....
Writing Pain by Bill Johnson
An article about creating characters who act in spite of their pain....
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News
Bill Johnson Hosts Author's Evening on May 18th by Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson hosts a book signing for A Story is a Promise and Deep Characterization, Nancy Hill's The Doll Tender, and Shannon Capps Salmon Run on Sunday, May 18, 5-7 pm, in Portland, Oregon....
Elizabeth Lyon on Writing Queries by Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson has shot and edited a video of Elizabeth Lyon, author of Manuscript Makeovers, speaking about the craft of writing query letters....
Third Edition of A Story is a Promise & Deep Characterization Available by Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson's third edition of A Story is a Promise explores the differnce between personal storytelling and telling a story to an audience....
Bill Johnson Hosts Oregon Writers Speak by Bill Johnson
Author/Teacher Bill Johnson hosts a new web site for Oregon authors to speak about their books and plays....
Betting the Karmic House Published by Smith and Kraus by Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson play published by Smith and Kraus...
Kent Mason Wins Writers Digest Fiction Contest by Bill Johnson
My Own Avatar wins Writers Digest Contest...
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Links
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| Deep Characterization
Bill Johnson speaks about the problems associated with an author unconsciously creating characters to act out the author's issues.
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Oregon Writers Speak
Bill Johnson introduces his new web site on YouTube where Oregon Authors will speak about their books, plays and screenplays.
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A Story is a Promise
A writing workbook that explores how stories function as a promise, and a promise fulfilled, to a story's audience.
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Willamette Writers
I'm office manager of Willamette Writers, a non-profit arts group in the Pacfic Northwest with 1,500 members. I also help organize the annual Willamette Writers conference, that in 2008 will be August 1-3 at the Portland Airport Sheraton Hotel.
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Additional information
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| I'm currently exploring how the emotional states and feelings of a storyteller impact his or her character choices. |
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Contact
Information
318 SW Palatine Hill Rd.
Portland
OR
97219
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Work phone: 503-452-1592
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