Bio

JOHN ROBERT MARLOW is a novelist, screenwriter, journalist and editor.

NOVELS John’s first novel Nano was published in hardcover by Forge/St. Martin’s Press in 2004 “Marlow’s debut is a real page-turner”—Kirkus Reviews; “Reads like a big-budget summer blockbuster”—Booklist), and was honored with the Nanotechnology Now Editor’s Choice Award (“Plausible, scientifically accurate, and timely … the most important piece of fiction written to date”) and declared Book of the Month by Humanity+. (A revised edition of the Nano novel was published in paperback in 2005.)

SCREENWRITING The adapted Nano screenplay recently went into development with producer-director Jan de Bont (Speed, Twister, Minority Report), and has drawn mention in Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and the Los Angeles Times. Another of John’s scripts—the romantic adventure-comedy Dispatch—was optioned in November by producer Julie Richardson (Collateral, Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office). John’s Nano action screenplay (based on his tech-thriller Nano novel) was a finalist (top 10 of over 5,000 entries) in the 2007 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Program of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

Over the course of the Nicholl Fellowships’ 24-year history, some 50,000 screenwriters have competed for top honors. John is one of only seven to reach the top ten twice, and the only one to do so with adaptations.

Others who’ve reached this level have gone on to write films like Air Force One, Arlington Road, Armored, Erin Brockovich, Pocahontas, Transformers 2, 28 Days, and the Castle tv series.

NONFICTION ON WRITING John has written articles about writing and conducted interviews with writers and agents for his Self Editing Blog (which offers free advice to authors and screenwriters), for other online publications, and for print publications including the 2010 Screenwriter’s & Playwright’s Market the 2012 Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market (both from Writer’s Digest Books), the September/October 2011 issue of Writers’ Journal, the November 2011 issue of Fellow Script, and the Backspace, Women On Writing, and Writing-World websites. He also posts writing tips on twitter as John_Marlow. Click here for a list of John’s recent articles on writing.

OTHER NONFICTION

John’s nonfiction articles and photography have appeared in numerous print and online publications, and cover a wide variety of topics, including BASE jumping, lifesaving medicines, automobile engine buildups, terrorist incidents, robotic surgeons, neural nets, invisible lasers, nanotechnology, and the global security implications of emerging and disruptive technologies. He has interviewed people ranging from businessmen and police officers to Nobel laureate Sir Francis Crick and visionary filmmaker James Cameron.

John is often called upon to render complex scientific and medical topics easily understandable for a general audience. His plain-language Nanoveau column led to his nomination for the Foresight Institute Prize in Communication—the highest honor in nanotechnology journalism.

EDITING – DEVELOPMENT – CONSULTING

Since 2001, John has worked as a developmental editor, upgrading the screenplays, novel and book manuscripts of others to the point where they can be offered for sale. In 2006, John joined the staff of The Editorial Department as a book editor. In 2007, he was asked to create their Screen Division. Today, he serves as Director of Development for TED’s Book and Screenplay Divisions. In 2011, John teamed with longtime adaptation partner Jacqueline Radley to launch makeyourstoryamovie.com for those wishing to turn their books and stories into movies.

OTHER

In addition to writing, editing, and development, John has frequently worked as a website designer and content creator, as a researcher for books and for television documentaries aired by the world’s largest broadcaster. He has also worked as a software usability consultant and (occasionally) video game consultant.

Born in Pennsylvania, John now resides in Los Angeles. His interests include fine food, antiques, film, literature, art, architecture, comics, music, leading-edge technologies, history, and photography. His storybookers.com website is the #1 Google hit on “storybook architecture,” and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times,
Cottages & Bungalows, and other publications.

John is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the nonprofit Lifeboat Foundation.

JACQUELINE RADLEY wrote and segment produced television documentaries for six years, covering historical, crime, and supernatural topics. She spent two years as feature story editor for producer John Jacobs, and has worked as a story and script consultant for nine years. Jacqueline co-authored the Make Your Book A Movie article, and has lived in five countries.

A few of John’s articles and interviews on writing…  (Click here for John’s bio.)

• Is Your Book a Movie? A Crash Course in Book-to-Screen Adaptation
2012 Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market (Writer’s Digest Books)

• Rewriting: How to Avoid Three Deadly Pitfalls
FellowScript (November 2011)

• Self-Editing vs Pro Editing: What You Can (and Can’t) Do Yourself
Self Editing Blog (October 17, 2011)

• Self-Editing vs Pro Editing: What You Can (and Can’t) Do Yourself
Writer’s Journal (September/October 2011)

• Screenwriter / Producer Interview: Leslie Dixon (“Limitless”) Part 1
Make Your Story a Movie Blog (August 28, 2011)

• The Wandering Hero: No Goal, No Plot, No Chance
Self Editing Blog (August 19, 2011)

• Alan Glynn Interview (Author of “Limitless”)
Make Your Story a Movie Blog (August 17, 2011)

• Logline Workshop: Jurassic Park
Make Your Story a Movie Blog (June 4, 2011; moved from SEB)

• Building the Perfect Logline for Your Book, Screenplay, or Other Story
Make Your Story a Movie Blog (May 27, 2011; moved from SEB)

• Rex Pickett Interview (Author of “Sideways”)
Self Editing Blog (May 26, 2011 cross-posted from MYSAM Blog)

• Rex Pickett Interview (Author of “Sideways”)
Make Your Story a Movie Blog (May 11, 2011)

• Make Your Story a Movie: Adapting Your Book or Story for Hollywood
Make Your Story a Movie Blog (April 28, 2011)

• Agent Andy Ross Interview
Self Editing Blog (December 21, 2010)

• Terry Rossio Extreme Interview (World’s Highest-Paid Screenwriter)
Self Editing Blog (December 13, 2010)

• Story Development for Writers, Part 6: The Digital Outline: Creating a Beatline for Your Story
Self Editing Blog (December 8, 2010)

• Story Development for Writers, Part 5: The One-Minute Story: Crafting a Pitch Sheet for Your Book, Screenplay, or Other Tale
Self Editing Blog (November 29, 2010)

• Story Development for Writers, Part 4: Story Structure: Laying Down the Bones
Self Editing Blog (November 16, 2010)

• Story Development for Writers, Part 3: Logline Workshop: Jurassic Park
Self Editing Blog (November 8, 2010)

• Story Development for Writers, Part 2: Building the Perfect Logline for Your Book, Screenplay, or Other Story
Self Editing Blog (October 29, 2010)

• Story Development for Writers, Part 1: The Basics
Self Editing Blog (October 21, 2010)

• What Hollywood Wants: 10 Things Studios Like to See in Adapted (and Original) Scripts
Backspace (July 2010)

• The Name Game: When Good Names Go Bad
Writing-World (June 2010; SEB blog post reprint)

• Make Your Book A Movie: Adapting Your Book or Story for Hollywood
Book to Film issue of Women On Writing website (May/June 2010)

• Jumping The Gun: Suicide by Submission
Self Editing Blog (April 25, 2010)

• Just Do It: False Starts, Late Deaths, and Appearances
Self Editing Blog (January 2, 2010)

• James V. Simpson: A Nicholl Finalist Talks His First Big Sale
2010 Screenwriter’s & Playwright’s Market (Writer’s Digest Books)

• Rewriting: Three Deadly Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
2010 Screenwriter’s & Playwright’s Market (Writer’s Digest Books)

• Bouncing Eyeballs and Other Unintended Meanings
Backspace (December 2009; SEB blog post reprint)

• Repetition Is Redundant
Urban Muse (November 20, 2009; SEB blog post reprint)