The University of Alabama

Associate Professor

The Long Schoolroom

Founder

Malone University

Associate Professor, Director of Creative Writing

I direct the Program in Creative Writing at the University of Alabama, and am founder of The Long Schoolroom, a learning community devoted to creative exploration and personal development. 

I am author of several books and a certified holistic arts coach with over 30 years of experience guiding others to write well, think deeply, and enact spirited transformation in their lives and work. 

Everything is invention and revision.  

You might not read poetry (I won't judge!), but we all need the poetic (a word which in Greek simply means “making”): beauty, connection, inspiration, wit. 

I team with high-performing creators, founders, leaders, and groups to spur them to new levels of clarity and direction, to workshop ideas and innovations, to integrate the personal with the professional. 

Wonder is at the heart of all artistic enterprises—and everything is an art!—so let’s court more of it in all we do. The imagination is our highest faculty, and dreams are the heart of reality. 

Let me know if I can help.

John Estes⚕

Cohere

I teach AI to think in different creative ways.

Senior Copywriter/AI Prompt Engineer

Beijing Film Academy

•	Educated diverse groups of students across Film Genre and Screenwriting courses, covering idea generation, structure, character design, dialogue, and basic filmmaking. 
•	Provided support to students individually to guide them in writing 10-minute short film script.
•	Created course curricula, syllabi, and lesson plans to meet the needs of the program; adhered to approved curriculum standards and course objectives.
•	Applied a blended learning approach to ensure that courses were engaging and stimulating; delivered individual assistance based on student needs.

Screenwriting and Film Genre Lecturer

•	Delivered strategic leadership across the International Program within the Cinematography Department. Key role in identifying and communicating program goals, driving strategic planning to support student success.
•	Supported education administration by managing class schedules, calculating student grades, and resolving teacher and student aﬀairs
•	Leveraged exceptional communication skills to interview and communicate with prospective students.

International Program Coordinator

FunPlus

•	Influential in pioneering the design and development of the plot, heroes, and worldview for Call of Antia (#37 in the Adventure Category on the iOS App Store) and Guns of Glory. 
•	Led the writing process for the scripts for 2 demos and aided the company in story creation for several upcoming projects.
•	Deployed an in-depth understanding of story requirements and delivered on ultimate story and script goals to guide project success.
•	Conducted research on game industry trends and provided innovative solutions and cutting-edge styles that met the goals of each project.

Narrative Game Designer

Primal Script Studio

•	Served as the head writer, playing an integral role in the creation of a 10-part series, based on the movie "Deep in the Heart;" conceived screenplay outlines for various stars in China.
•	Responsible for editing scripts, pitching story ideas, and reporting to the producers to promote the success of the project.
•	Key role in ensuring that staff writer's scripts adhere to the rules and branding of the series.

Screenwriter

Sony Pictures Entertainment

•	Facilitated the development and research of creative ideas for original movie screenplays, serving as the lead screenwriter for 3, 75-minute episodes for Season 2 of Chosen, now on Netflix and iQiyi.
•	Established initial framework for the screenplay, transcribing and adapting the storyline into a cohesive script.
•	Coordinated and communicated with production executives to weave together visual elements in scenes with plot and dialogue.

Netflix Screenwriter, Chosen 2 

Sony Music Entertainment

I wrote a music video that has over 330,000,000 views

Screenwriter - Gala Music Video

Copy that sings ⇆ Brand Story that blings | Storytelling Sage 🧘‍♂️| I tailor make content for busy C-suiters | Netflix Screenwriter |

You're automating authenticity?  

Instead of sounding like a fart, you’ll need to unlock:  

What’s deep in your heart.  

I know this because I taught AI how to write.  

And while it’s your buddy, it’ll never be your savior.  

Because writing isn’t words on the page.  

It’s the energy you wield underneath that’s felt.  

And no bot can make your audience feel hot.  

That’s where your life experiences come into play.  

So, how do you tell your story in a way that resonates?  

For me, it took:  

- a show on Netflix  

- seven years of teaching storytelling  

- and a few rock bottoms  

to learn that putting your personality on the page isn’t rocket science.  

All it takes is your willingness to go:  

- deeper,  

- more personal,  

- and in a style only you can express.  

So, before you try to move mountains with your writing, start in:  

The Writing Cave 

Every Friday, join a two-hour live writing session open to anyone.  

During our breaks, I'll answer any questions you have.

Sign up for my newsletter to get the link.  

Ready to climb the mountain?  

1:1 Story Coaching

We mine your life events and build your story together—a story that speaks to your audience. Then, we write together to make your voice come alive on the page.  

Need a Sherpa to do the heavy lifting?  

Ghostwriting for Busy Media Leaders 

Your voice and vision brought to life on autopilot.  

DM “STORY” to begin now.

taplio

The Battle

John Estes⚕

Jordan Defazio

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