USA Guest Jen Grisanti September 23, 2012

International speaker Jen Grisanti @jengrisanti is an acclaimed Story/Career Consultant at Jen Grisanti Consultancy, Inc. Grisanti is also a Writing Instructor for Writers on the Verge at NBC, a former studio executive, a blogger for The Huffington Post and author of Story Line: Finding Gold In Your Life Story, TV Writing Tool Kit: How To Write a Script That Sells, and her upcoming book, Change Your Story, Change Your Life.

Twenty years ago, Grisanti started her career as an assistant to Aaron Spelling, who served as her mentor for 12 years. She quickly climbed the ranks and eventually ran Current Programs at Spelling Television Inc., covering all of Spelling’s shows including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place and Charmed. In 2004, Grisanti was promoted to Vice President of Current Programs at CBS/Paramount where she covered numerous shows including Medium, Numbers, NCIS, 4400 and Girlfriends.

In January 2008, Grisanti launched Jen Grisanti Consultancy, Inc., a highly successful consulting firm dedicated to helping talented writers break into the industry. Drawing on her years of experience as a studio executive where she gave daily notes to executive producers/showrunners, Grisanti personally guides writers to shape their material, hone their pitches and focus their careers. Since launching her consulting firm, Grisanti has worked with over 500 writers specializing in television, features and novels. Due to her expertise and mentorship, thirty-four of her clients have staffed as writers on television shows, fourteen have sold pilots, and two of those pilots have gone to series.

Grisanti’s brand focus is “Telling and Selling Your Story and Developing From Within.”

Currently, she is expanding her brand into storytelling in business with the launch of her new book, Change Your Story, Change Your Life due to come out in May 2013. As a way to inspire business owners and entrepreneurs she is offering the following presentations: “How To Give A Winning Pitch: Finding Your Voice, Story-Driven Success” and “Moving Beyond Your ‘All Is Lost’ Moment.”

After surviving and learning from two major turning points in her life -- a long-term relationship that ended after a short marriage and a beloved job that ended after 15 years with the same company -- Grisanti is able to draw from her own story and use it to create her own success. From the lectern, she empowers others to do the same.

Grisanti’s speaking points include: how to write a log line for your business and a log line for your life, how to tell your story to ensure results; how to add fiction to your truth in your writing; how to be an active hero in your story; and how to be the author of your life.

Her company hosts Storywise Seminars and Teleseminars as a way to deliver this message internationally.

Grisanti also has a Storywise Podcast Series available on iTunes and via her website, www.jengrisanticonsultancy.com. The podcasts dig deep into our top storytellers’ histories as a way to inform, motivate and inspire listeners to go after their dreams.

Grisanti has taught classes for the TV Writers Summit, The Big Island Film Festival, Chicago Screenwriters Network, Scriptwriters Network , Screenwriting Expo, the Great American Pitchfest, the Northwestern Screenwriter’s Guild in Seattle, and the Alameda’s Writer’s Group. She will be speaking in Australia in September 2012 at The Television Writers Studio. In addition, she has served on panels for the WGA, iTVFest, UFVA, PGA and The Writer’s Bootcamp, telling her story to inspire others.

Grisanti attended USC where she received a B.A. in Communications.

*Don't miss Jen's webinar for The Writers Store on Wednesday, Sept 26, 2012: 
Telling and Selling the TV Pilot Script