Write the vertical series
a brand will pay for.
Sponsor-Driven Micro-Series Workshop
P&G, Cora, Starbucks and Estée Lauder are already telling stories in vertical micro-series. Somebody has to write them. In one live session, story consultant Kay Ross walks you through #StoryMath, her step-by-step method for turning a sponsor's brief into a series people binge, and you leave with the templates to write the pitch.
A sponsor's brief isn't a cage. It's the puzzle.
Writing for a client feels limiting at first. They tell you the product, the episode count, the message, how often the product has to show up. Most writers freeze, or grab the first idea that fits and hope.
Kay teaches the opposite. Creativity is problem-solving, so the sponsor's limits are what make you inventive. #StoryMath gives you a structure for generating far more options than you need, then choosing the best one with confidence. When the feedback comes back, you know exactly where to look instead of starting over.
"If I ask you to make a hundred-piece puzzle, don't create a hundred pieces and call it a puzzle. Create a thousand pieces and find the best ones."
From sponsor brief to pitch, in five moves.
Every step ends with writing time, so you build your own series as you go.
Crack the code
Why every story runs on contrast, and the 7 points episode one has to land.
✍ WRITING TIMEBegin with the end
Turn the sponsor's brief into your story, and map your 4 possible endings.
✍ WRITING TIMEBuild the world
Give your hero the best strategy to win, and the flaw that keeps tripping them up.
✍ WRITING TIMERaise the stakes
Create the rival, the ally and the stakes that keep viewers swiping.
✍ WRITING TIMEMap the series
Lock your 10-episode beat sheet, synopsis and episode checklist.
✍ WRITING TIMELearn from series that are already working.
Kay breaks down real brand-driven verticals so you can see how the product, the message and the story fit together, from series where the product is the whole engine to ones where it carries the theme.
Your #StoryMath writer's toolkit.
One resource sheet, every template. One click copies each into your own Google Drive, ready to fill in.
Vertical concept
Explore concept options for your series.
World & character
Where your story lives and who's in it.
Workshop grids
Pre-filled, so you never face a blank page.
Beat sheet
Your episode-by-episode map.
Synopsis
Opening, midpoint and climax in one paragraph.
Episode checklist
Make sure every episode does its job.
Vertical pitch document
The one-pager and script pages a sponsor expects.
Reconstructing a vertical
Reverse-engineer a series you love and borrow its structure.
This is for you if…
- You're curious about verticals but haven't written one yet. Kay starts with how the format works, broadly and technically.
- You want to write micro-series for brands, authors or clients and need a repeatable process you can use on every project.
- You're entering the Verticals For Good Challenge. Kay uses Rewriting A New History as a working example, without telling you what your story should be.
- You like structure, or you need some. Whether you plan everything first or write from a spark, #StoryMath gives you a frame to build on.
Session dates.
Same workshop, three chances to join live. Pick the date that works for you.
Can't make any of them live? Every session includes a replay. · $199$99 for any date
This workshop is optional. It is not required to enter the Verticals For Good Challenge, and attending has no effect on judging.
Meet Kay Ross.
Karen "Kay" Ross has guided hundreds of writers to elevated, award-winning and financed screenplays through #StoryMath, the program she developed: the strategic use of qualitative logic to build the foundations of any story, beginning to end, before deciding its format.
For more than six years, Kay was the Stage 32 Community Manager, Writers' Room Producer and co-host of The Coverage Report, giving writers live feedback on their work. She got her start in Washington, D.C. theater and docu-series television before moving to Los Angeles, where she now develops her own projects as a writer, producer and director.
She'll also be speaking at this year's LA Vertical Drama Market.
"Even if math is not your strength, we all know the effect of positive or negative events, of wins or losses. That's the universal equation we're using to create stories: contrast."
Writers who've worked with Kay.
Kay is an insightful and constructive consultant who provides actionable items for improvement. Kay recognizes the importance of helping the writer achieve their goals rather than imposing her own ideas onto the work.
Her uplifting attitude instills confidence and bolsters determination. Kay's invaluable feedback played a pivotal role in the story's successful overhaul, garnering interest from a producer. I would highly recommend working with Kay!
Kay's services have been so beneficial to me as a writer and as a filmmaker. I'm a full-time filmmaker. I can't recommend Kay's services enough. One of the scripts we workshopped... is now in pre-production. I couldn't be more thankful for all the help I've received from Kay.
Havilah Malone
Havilah Malone is a 4X best selling author and executive producer, a Sundance Collab x TikTok Micro-Series alumna, and the founder of the Verticals For Good Challenge. She brought this workshop to VFG writers because brands and authors are starting to commission empowerment stories in the vertical format, and she wants a roster of writers ready to write them.
Reserve your seat.
SPONSOR-DRIVEN MICRO-SERIES WORKSHOP
Special Verticals For Good price, sponsored by Havilah Malone.
- One 3-hour live session on Zoom with Kay Ross
- The #StoryMath method, from sponsor brief to 10-episode beat sheet
- Writing time built into every section, plus live Q&A
- The full template toolkit, including the vertical pitch document
- The session replay, so you can rewatch at your own pace
FAQ.
Do I need to take this workshop to enter the Challenge?
No. The workshop is optional and separate from the Verticals For Good Challenge. It has no effect on judging.
Do I need to attend all three sessions?
No. Each session covers the same material, so one is all you need. Each seat is for one session, and you're welcome to attend more than one, but each additional session is a separate purchase.
I've never written a vertical. Is this too advanced?
No. Kay opens with how the micro-series format works, broadly and technically, before getting into #StoryMath. The templates walk you through every step.
Will this tell me what to write for my Challenge entry?
No. Kay uses Rewriting A New History as a working example, but the choices are yours. You can adapt the book directly or build an original story around one of its themes.
What should I bring?
A concept you're considering, even a rough one, and a way to take notes. There's writing time in every section, so you'll be working on your own series throughout.
How do the templates work?
They're Google Docs, and you don't need a Google account to use them. If you do have one, one click makes your own copy in your Google Drive, so you can fill it in right away. Having trouble opening them? Reach out to Story Math using the contact info in your confirmation email.
Will there be a replay?
Yes. A replay is available, so you can rewatch the session or catch up if something comes up.
What's your refund policy?
All sales are final, and we don't offer refunds. If something comes up and you can't attend live, every session includes a replay, so you won't miss the material.
Brands are commissioning verticals.
Be the writer who knows how.
Three hours with Kay Ross, the full #StoryMath toolkit, and a pitch-ready structure for your next series.
Reserve my seat for $99