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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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Books

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Short Stories
 The Calling by Bill Johnson A one minute play by Bill Johnson about a dog and a cat in the afterlife waiting to accept a new assignment on earth....
Going Straight on the Merry-Go-Round by Bill Johnson A ten minute play by Bill Johnson....
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Poetry
 How Is It? by Bill Johnson
Ode To Invisibility by Bill Johnson
The Parade of Life by Bill Johnson
Woman in Blue on Floor by Bill Johnson
A Hearty Affair by Bill Johnson The hazzards of falling in love....
The One-Upspersonship Parade by Bill Johnson
Looking Back by Bill Johnson
The Deadly Sheep 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....
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....
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
 New Videos Posted on Oregon Writers Speak by Bill Johnson Bill Johnson has posted new videos on Oregon Writers Speak, including Charles Deemer speaking about his new company, Small Screen Video....
Hats for Sale Available for Viewing on Blip TV by Bill Johnson Nancy Hill's Hats for Sale is now available for viewing on Blip.TV...
New Videos Posted on Oregon Writers Speak by Bill Johnson Bill Johnson posts videos of Hollywood screenwriter Randal Jahnson and interviewer Diana Page Jordan on Oregon Writers Speak, a site on YouTube....
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....
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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Events
 Bill Johnson at Orycon31 11/27/2009 Bill Johnson speaks on a number of panels at Orycon, a science fiction and fantasy convention in Portland, Oregon....
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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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