“After nourishment, shelter, and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” ~ Philip Pullman

About The Write A Great Story Foundation:

Founded by David Kirkpatrick, a former Walt Disney Studios production chief and President of Paramount Pictures, The Write A Great Story Foundation (formerly the Storyteller Foundation) has awarded $160,000 in scholarships to 120 emerging writers since its inception. Our mission is to elevate the human experience through stories that inspire, educate, and challenge society.

We provide scholarships to writers of merit and need, giving them access to tailored programs that include one-on-one mentoring, group sessions, and retreats. These programs help each writer hone their craft, discover their unique voice, and acquire essential business skills. Our approach to mentoring is about fostering creativity and individuality, which is best captured by Steven Spielberg’s words: “The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.”

This is why we Walk for Story—to open doors for writers and provide them with the chance to learn from industry icons. Opportunities they wouldn’t have otherwise. Your contributions do more than support writers in their educational pursuits. You are empowering them to express their authentic voices and craft stories that amplify diverse perspectives. These stories will ignite critical conversations and foster a more empathetic, intelligent, and inclusive world.

Ways You Can Make a Difference:

1. Donate
Your contribution directly supports our mission. It provides the scholarships and mentorship that writers need to build meaningful, life-long careers as storytellers who can sustain themselves and their families.

2. Join a Team
Starting September 3rd, join a community of supporters by choosing your favorite movie genre team and rallying your network to uplift the storytellers of tomorrow. Whether or not you walk, your involvement will make a lasting impact on their journey.

To join a team:

Click ‘Join a Team’
Choose your preferred genre from the drop-down menu
Follow the prompts to complete your registration
Click ‘Create Page’ to set up your own personal page. Tailor it with your fundraising goal, photos, artwork, videos, and updates. Please note: Enter fundraising goals without special characters (e.g., enter 500 for a $500 goal).

Use your personal page to launch email, social media, and SMS text-to-donate campaigns, all benefiting the Write A Great Story Foundation. For SMS text-to-donate, send the keyword STORYMATTERS to 53-555. You’ll receive a link to this landing page (note: this will not trigger an automatic donation, and standard SMS rates may apply).

3. Participate in the Walk
On September 28 and 29, wherever you are, walk 10,000 steps or 5 miles to honor a storyteller who has inspired you—whether they are a renowned figure or someone cherished in your life. Share your journey on social media, inspire others, and contribute to our collective goal.

Join us and Walk for Story. Help shape the future by supporting writers and the transformative power of a well-told story.

"The destiny of the world is determined less by the battles that are lost and won than by the stories it loves and believes in." — Harold Goddard, Literary Critic

For more about the Story Summit Writer’s School, visit www.storysummit.us. To learn more about The Write A Great Story Foundation and its mission, follow us on Facebook at The Write A Great Story Foundation.

Walk for Story 2024

Empowering Storytellers, Shaping the Future.

Team Leaderboard

Team Members