Why I Wrote STORYSMART® Storytelling for ALL

Ron Watermon • July 21, 2025

A Message From The Author On What This Book is Really About and Why It Matters Now. 

July 22, 2025, St. Louis, MO  - There’s a line in Jerry Maguire that has always stuck with me.  Young Ray asks his mom, “What’s wrong, Mom?” And she replies:  “First class is what’s wrong, honey. It used to be a better meal. Now it’s a better life.”

That line hits hard. Because access—access to opportunity, tools, and professionals—changes everything. And when it comes to storytelling, access has long been unequal.

For decades, only a small group of insiders had the power to tell stories at the highest level. If you weren’t already in Hollywood or publishing, your story stayed in coach—often ignored, misrepresented, or lost.

I wrote STORYSMART® Storytelling for ALL to change that.

This book is a roadmap. It’s designed to give you—whether you’re a public figure, entrepreneur, athlete, or someone with a life story worth telling—the same tools used by insiders. The same strategies that power studios, presidents, billion-dollar production companies, and bestselling memoirs.

It’s also deeply personal. I’ve seen too many remarkable true stories disappear because people didn’t know how to protect them—or worse, were taken advantage of. I’ve felt like an outsider myself. And I know what it means to want your story told right.

That’s why I developed the STORYSMART® Framework. To empower people with meaningful stories to protect their rights, preserve their vision, and share it with the world—on their own terms.

I’m making the Author’s Note from the book available as a free PDF download as part of this post. 

And if you’ve got 90 seconds, I invite you to watch the short video message from me below.

This is your story. Let’s tell it the right way.

About The Book
In a world hungry for authentic narratives, STORYSMART® Storytelling for ALL™: How to Take Control, Own Your True Story and Profit Like a Hollywood Insider delivers a rare insider’s guide to turning a true story into a cultural and financial asset while maintaining control. 

Designed for public figures, entrepreneurs, and individuals with powerful life stories, the book introduces the STORYSMART® Way, a step-by-step framework to organize, preserve, and professionally develop your story for books, film, and television.

The book pulls back the curtain on how stories move through publishing, Hollywood, and streaming—and empowers readers to navigate the process like seasoned insiders. 

Topics include copyright and licensing, collaborating with elite-level professional filmmakers and ghostwriters, developing a pitch-ready treatment, and monetizing true stories through publishing, streaming, and merchandising.

STORYSMART Storytelling for ALL is available currently as both a paperback and e-book. It will be available soon be in hardcover and audiobook formats.

About the Author
Ron Watermon is the founder of STORYSMART®, a cinematic storytelling consulting service and story development film studio. A lawyer, filmmaker, and Emmy-nominated television producer and writer, Ron’s led strategic communications for an MLB team, advised high-profile clients, and has produced both film and television productions. Ron lives in St. Louis with his family. 

Learn more about Ron at storysmart.net and ronwatermon.com

#STORYSMART #StorytellingForAll #NewBook #MediaRights #TrueStories #BookLaunch
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