Hire Michael to Speak

All Day Workshops

Keynotes & Lectures

If your organization is interested in having Michael appear, or in sponsoring one of his seminars, please contact us.

Story Mastery Workshop

During this special, all-day seminar, Michael will present his unique approach to creating compelling stories for film and fiction.

Drawing on his decades as a Hollywood script consultant, author and lecturer, he will show the most powerful methods for eliciting emotion in your readers and audiences through story concept, plot structure, character development and theme.

Michael will then reveal his proven method for getting the people in power to read your manuscript or screenplay.

You Will Learn:

The primary goal of all story
Turning plot structure from a complicated concept into a simple, powerful tool you can easily apply to every story
The power of desire, need, longing and destiny
The essential conflict all characters must face
Novel structure vs. movie structure
The single key to creating character arc and theme
The secret to creating unique, believable and fulfilling love stories
The most effective process for adapting novels into film
The biggest mistake writers make while pitching their work
The key components of a powerful pitch

Advanced Story Mastery Intensive

During this unique, hands-on workshop, Michael provides individual guidance to each of the 12 participants, followed by group discussion of each project.

Enrollees will submit a one-page synopsis plus the opening pages of their novel or screenplay, to be read in advance by Michael and all the other participants.

Particular attention will be paid to applying Michael Hauge’s principles of:

Entertain. Enlighten. Empower.

Contact Michael today to discuss how we can create the most beneficial and memorable experience for your organization.

“Michael’s work has saved my butt on more than one occasion – and I keep having occasions, so I’m glad he’s still at work. If you want to be a better writer and a better storyteller, stop reading this quote and contact Michael Hauge.”

“Michael Hauge knows story better than most any other man alive. His insight into visual storytelling is so deep and so wide that he is relied on by the film industry for his skill and knowledge. He is a natural performer and takes command of the room in a subtle way, with wit and sincerity.”

“Michael’s strength is his ability to greatly enhance a story’s emotional impact. He’s clear, calm and patient, and has the amazing ability to make complex ideas clearer and simpler. He’s also a jolly, Obi-Wan type of mentor who really brings out the best in the people he works with. He has helped me tremendously!”

“I took my first writing workshop — ever — from Michael Hauge in Portland. To say it was life altering is an understatement. I have since gone on to publish five successful novels, and my screenplay was a Top Ten finalist in the Nicholl Fellowship.”

The 10 Essential Elements of Every Great Story

Whether you want your screenplay produced, your novel published or your movie made, you must master the key elements that transform any story into an artistic and commercial success.

In this acclaimed presentation, Michael reveals the essential principles for creating compelling commercial stories that will touch and transform readers and audiences at the deepest possible level.

You Will Learn:

The #1 goal of every story
The 10 essential elements your story must contain
The 3 most powerful methods for creating empathy with your protagonist
A simple method for mastering story structure
The power of transformation

Writing Love Stories & Romantic Comedies

Love stories heighten both the emotional appeal and the commercial potential of your screenplay or novel, and provide you with a powerful tool for revealing inner conflict, character growth, and theme.

Using successful romantic comedies and love stories as examples, Michael reveals the essential principles and methods for writing believable, entertaining, and emotionally fulfilling romantic relationships.

You Will Learn:

The single biggest weakness of most love stories
Hero and love interest or hero and heroine?
The necessity of character arc in any love story
Whether, where and how to get your lovers into bed
How romance fiction differs from Hollywood romance
The unique rules of romantic comedy: fantasy, duality, deceit

Uniting Story Structure and Character Arc

In the best screenplays and novels, the heroes must achieve two compelling goals: an outer journey of accomplishment; and a deeper, inner journey of transformation and fulfillment. In one of his most popular lectures, Michael presents his unique approach to mastering these two essential components of your story.

You Will Learn:

Seducing the Reader in the First 10 Pages

The opening of your screenplay or novel is your single most powerful weapon for acquiring an agent or securing a deal.

Using examples from recent successful films and novels, Michael reveals the secrets of transforming your opening scenes into emotionally gripping sequences that will force readers to turn the page.