A transformational online

course from Hollywood’s

go-to script consultant 

Rated the top script consultant in the entertainment industry by Creative Screenwriting Magazine, Dara Marks brings decades of expertise to this extraordinary online course. Together with her teaching partner, Deb Norton, they will guide you step-by-step through a dynamic process that will ignite your imagination and profoundly empower the way you write!

"Dara Marks is in a class by herself."
Creative Screenwriting Magazine

Our mission

We believe stories are fundamental to the human experience—shaping how we understand ourselves and the world around us. Our mission is to inspire writers to unlock their creative potential and harness the transformative power of storytelling, revealing the humanity at its core. Across every genre and medium, our goal is not only to support the creation of stories that entertain and enrich our lives, but also to elevate the creative journey
for the storytellers themselves.

At Inside Story, we're not just teaching writing—we're revolutionizing the way stories are crafted and understood. Our method goes way beyond the theoretical. It’s our unique blend of lecture, followed by practice, that’s the real “magic” of the course. The combination transforms your creative process and makes your story come alive.

Our course is unlike anything else out there.

  • We take a multi-dimensional approach
    We focus on the intricate interplay between a character's internal struggles and external challenges, adding depth and emotional resonance to your stories.

  • We create a bridge to deeper meaning
    While others might tell you to "go deeper," we show you how. Our process bridges the gap between understanding story structure and reaching those deeper layers of meaning.

  • We help you practice what we preach
    Our method isn't just theory—it's about expanding your creative process and bringing intellectual concepts to life within your story.

  • We play well with others
    Unlike narrow, exclusive views of storytelling, our archetypal approach can be accessed and applied in many different ways, welcoming diverse voices and styles.

Learn from the best

Dara Marks


Dara Marks, Ph.D. is a leading international story consultant, seminar leader, and author of the bestseller Inside Story: The Power of the Transformational Arc. This groundbreaking work on authentic storytelling has inspired screenwriters, novelists, and playwrights around the world to engage more deeply and effectively in the creative writing process.

As an educator, Dara is committed to the idea that a culture speaks through its stories and that every writer’s voice matters. Her unique method of analysis has earned her top ratings as the best story consultant in the business – with her advice sought-after by major Hollywood studios, independent filmmakers and television writers, producers, and directors.

Dara holds a doctorate degree in Mythological Studies and is working on a new book on the Feminine Heroic. Currently, she lives in Ojai, California with her husband where she especially enjoys spending time with her two amazing granddaughters.

Deb Norton


Deb Norton is a writing coach and author whose book Part Wild: A Writers Guide to Harnessing the Creative Power of Resistance was lauded by HuffPost as “a must read for any aspiring or seasoned writer.” Deb champions our natural desire to create with powerful story making tools that tame self-doubt and inspire writers to trust the genius of their own unique voice. Her dynamic workshops, intimate writing groups and immersive retreats are in demand world-wide.

Deb is a graduate of The American Conservatory Theater and has worked as a dramaturg for STAGE at the University of Chicago, developing multi-media theater pieces inspired by science and technology. Her play The Whole Banana was reviewed by the LA Times as an “hysterical post-feminist lark.” It’s a theme that influences her current work-in-progress – an epic si-fi fantasy novel featuring a menopausal superhero. Deb lives on a wildflower farm on Washington state’s Upper Peninsula with her husband, Chris, where she finds inspiration and renewal in the wonder of the natural world.

Go to Deb’s website

Level up your writing. For good.

Inside Story Writing Program

$1,050

reg. price

$1,500

Once you buy the course, you’ll have lifetime access so you can take it as many times as you like, for as many writing projects as you need.

Use code WRITER30 to claim your launch discount.

What’s New

Engaging the 
Feminine Heroic

A RETREAT FOR WOMEN WRITERS AND ARTISTS

Using feminine mythic epics as a means of exposing the undiscovered riches in the creative soul, Dara Marks and Deb Norton serve as guides on our creative retreats for women writers and artists. Blending storytelling, personal exploration, ritual, and play, they provide an immersive experience in a safe, friendly, and non-competitive atmosphere. Their work gives women new tools, techniques, and insights to strengthen their artistic vision and gain command over the deep nature of their stories.

I want to know more about this amazing, creative experience.