S.L. (Sid) Stebel
Emeritus Lecturer, MPW Program | University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA, UNITED STATES
Lecturer/Grp Workshop Leader to "Finding Your Secret Story" based on his critically acclaimed writing book, "Double Your Creattive Power!',
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Biography
S.L. STEBEL
S.L. Stebel has authored five novels: THE COLLABORATOR, a best-selling thriller, THE VOROVICH AFFAIR, a crime story, SPRING THAW, a ghost story about seal hunting, and THE BOSS’S WIFE, a noir crime novel, and co-authored THE WIDOWMASTER, a larger than life thriller. He has also written THE SHOE LEATHER TREATMENT, the biography of an escaped mental patient, and THE VANISHING AMERICANS, serialized in WEST magazine as MAIN STREET 1971.
He has written a one man show, FATHERS AGAINST SONS, for Henry Fonda, adapted Bradbury stories into the play, NEXT IN LINE, starring Peter Mark Richman, and a legendary Actors’ Studio workshop production, THE WAY OUT (Dial 1-4-sex talk.)
As a script consultant in Australia, he co-wrote PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, directed by Peter Weir, and STORM BOY, winners in successive years of BEST PICTURE at their national film awards. He was later honored by the Australian Writers’ Guild for “substantial contributions to the Australian film industry.”
He has also written for COLUMBO, FAMILY and STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO, developed a TV pilot, RIVER BOY, for Hanna Barbera, wrote an original film, TRIP TO INDIA, for director Herb Ross at MGM, and developed pilots for Henry Fonda, Fred Astaire & James Whitmore.
Earlier, Stebel covered the Avant-Garde, and was Crime & Suspense Critic for the L.A. TIMES SUNDAY BOOK REVIEW, writing the column THRILLSEEKING; following that with a stint at the L.A. HERALD EXAMINER, where he wrote the column, EYE SPY.
In addition to teaching in the Master of Professional Writing program at USC, Stebel also consults for book publishers and film and play producers.
He has recently finished a novel, RISING STAR, SETTING SUN, now being offered for publication in New York; his current work-in-progress is CAPTAIN JETT, CRIME BUSTER! a novel about radio in the depression 30s.
Industry Expertise (3)
Public Relations and Communications
Motion Pictures and Film
Writing and Editing
Areas of Expertise (5)
Finding Your Secret Story
How to Write an Autobiography
Differences & Similarities Between Prose & Theatrical (Film) Writing
Breaking Into Film Biz-Choosing the Right Path
Subconscious Writing Process
Education (1)
University of Southern California: B.A. 1949, English Literature
While at USC, became editor of off campus literary magazine COPY, run by off campus literary group, THE BARDS. First edition of COPY magazine given front page review of Sunday Book Review the NYTIMES. a few years after graduation became Managing Editor of the USC/ALUMNI REVIEW - formerly sports oriented, cjhanged focus to Academia and style to News Magazine - first to put faculty members on cover, also wrote biography of then Chancellor Rufus von Kleinsmid.
Affiliations (3)
- USC - MPW program; WritersGuildofAmerica,w
- Santa Barbara Writers Conference
- Former Lecturer, MPW program, University of Southern California; Script consultant, South Australian Film Corporation; former partner/co-creative director, Weverka & Associates; Screenwriting lectuer, American Film Institute, former Editor, USC Alumn
Links (3)
Testimonials (1)
Ray Bradbury, Free lance legendary author | various
From Ray Bradbury: "Sid Stebel is the best writing teacher that ever was!"
Sample Talks (2)
Double Your Creative Power!
A concise writing book by the man Ray Bradbury calls "the best writing teacher that ever was!" on how to do just what the title implies - which should result in a novel/play/screenplay that touches the reader/viewer more deeply than s/he otherwise would...
Finding Your Secret Story - a "story dowsing" seminar...
A hands on live workshop in which participants read up to three (3) pages aloud to participants - until Stebel says stop (usually when something happens, or "when it becomes all too painfully clear that nothing is ever going to happen. Comments, guided for relevance by Stebel, should concentrate on what commenter "likes most" about the section read - no one is allowed to say "this doesn't work for me" unless prepared to say what would work.
Style
Availability
- Keynote
- Moderator
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Author Appearance
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