The #1 Storytelling Mistake That Stopped a Movie Cold—And Could Stop Your Book Too

I was working as the director’s assistant on the film adaptation of a wildly popular children’s book.

We were holed up in a cramped trailer on the Universal Studios backlot—the kind with dingy brown rugs and a constant hum from the AC that sounded like it was plotting against us.

The director was prepping a big storyboard pitch for the producers and was struggling to make it work. The head writer suggested they run the sequence by me—he thought maybe a fresh perspective would help.

Midway through the pitch, the director hit a point that stopped the story in its tracks. He’d inserted a funny scene that went off on a humorous tangent.

“I don’t get it. This doesn’t make sense,” I said.

Before I could even offer a solution, the director snapped, “Well, SOMETHING has to go there!”

He was right. Something did have to go there.
But not just anything.

It needed to be the right next story beat—the one that moved the story forward, not a fluffy, funny scene that yanked the audience out of the narrative altogether.

Spoiler: He left it in.

The Story Hole Didn’t Stay Hidden for Long

A few days later, Tom Hanks (yes, "Forrest Gump" Tom) and his producing partner, Gary, arrived for the pitch. I was asked to sit in and take notes.

We got to that moment—the one with the gaping story hole.

Tom paused, tilted his head, and said: “Hold on. I don’t get it. This doesn’t make sense.”

I scribbled the note in silence.

Months later, the production shut down. Why? The story wasn’t working.

The Storytelling Lesson Every Writer Needs

Here’s the truth: when something feels off in your writing—don’t ignore it. If it doesn’t make sense to you, it won’t make sense to your reader.

Stories need space.

Rushing to fill a gap without clarity is like trying to patch a leaky raft with a Post-it. And keeping it there because you don’t feel like figuring it out is even worse.

That’s the storytelling mistake that sinks books, scripts, and even movies.

3 Editing Tips to Make Your Writing Stronger

If you want to avoid messy middles and story beats that don’t work, here are three quick fixes:

1. Say It Out Loud

If your sentence makes you stumble, it probably needs reworking. Reading aloud quickly reveals clunky phrasing, awkward rhythms, and run-on sentences.

2. Ask: “What’s This Really About?”

If a paragraph, story beat, or chapter doesn’t serve the central point, cut it or clarify it. Don’t cling to a clever phrase or scene if it doesn’t serve the story.

3. Watch for Vague Placeholders

Be specific. Don’t rely on generic gestures or filler moments—pin it down with action, detail, and earned emotion.

The Story Did Find Its Way

Even though the project fell into development limbo for years, it eventually made its way to the screen. Another director picked it up—and made it work.

Good writing—like good filmmaking—takes patience, perspective, and a willingness to rethink what doesn’t work, no matter how attached you are to it.

Keep shaping your story. It’s worth getting right.

Got a story to tell? Dreaming of writing a book but don’t know where to start?

I created a free guide to help: “Map Out Your Book in 15 Minutes or Less.” It’s a simple, step-by-step system to turn your ideas into a clear roadmap—so you’ll always know your next story beat (and never get caught plugging in fluff just to fill the gap).

👉 Grab your free copy right here.