THE STORIES BEHIND THE STORIES
A Curated Archive of Writers, World-Builders & Visionaries
Every great story has a secret history.
A spark of inspiration.
A moment of revelation.
A battle that shaped the words we see on the page.
Better Storytelling is a living archive devoted to preserving those stories—
the insights, struggles, triumphs, and craft wisdom of the creators who shape our imaginations.
Here, you’ll find:
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Interviews with legendary authors like Larry Niven, C.J. Cherryh, Raymond Feist, Terry Brooks, David Brin, Tim Powers, and more.
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Behind-the-scenes conversations with screenwriters, showrunners, and actors who shaped the worlds of Star Trek, fantasy, science fiction, and beyond.
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Rare video archives featuring giants such as Ray Bradbury and George Clayton Johnson.
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High-level insights into the architecture of story, from Shakespeare’s dramatic engines to modern structural analysis.
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Treasures and curiosities rescued from the trunks, notebooks, and private collections of some of storytelling’s most influential creators.
This site is not a class.
Not a course.
Not a formula.
It is a museum of storycraft—a curated vault of the voices that shaped our cultural imagination.
If you are a storyteller, a writer, a filmmaker, a dreamer, or someone who simply loves the mythology of creativity…
welcome.
⭐ Featured Interviews
A rotating spotlight on iconic storytellers.
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Larry Niven — On the laws of worldbuilding and the strange logic of Known Space.
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C. J. Cherryh — On discipline, language, and building realities from the inside out.
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David Gerrold — On humor, history, and the anatomy of a story that endures.
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Terry Brooks — On mythic fantasy and the craft of shaping an unforgettable journey.
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Gail Carriger — On charm, character, and writing with irresistible voice.
Explore the full archive → Interviews
⭐ Insights Into Storytelling
Short, powerful explorations of structure, emotion, and narrative design.
From the deep structural machinery behind Shakespeare’s plays
to modern film breakdowns and high-level reflections on the craft,
these pieces illuminate the architecture of story—
not as a formula, but as an art.
Read more → Insights
⭐ Treasures from the Story Vault
Rare, historical, and impossible-to-find materials.
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Ray Bradbury & George Clayton Johnson video archives
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The DeVere / Shakespeare authorship curiosities
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Lost interviews, special collections, and private memorabilia
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Hidden gems from genre history and creator legacies
These artifacts exist nowhere else.
Open the vault → Treasures
⭐ Why This Site Exists
Stories are not merely entertainment.
They are the blueprint of human meaning.
By preserving the wisdom of great storytellers,
we pass on the tools and inspiration for the next generation of creators.
You are invited to explore, learn, and discover—
not through lectures, but through the voices of the masters themselves.
⭐ Start Here
Choose your path:
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Meet the Creators → Interviews
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Explore the Craft → Insights
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Unlock Hidden Archives → Treasures
Curated by Mark O’Bannon
Author • Archivist • Interviewer