Watch the trailer. You'll know in 2 minutes if this is for you.
👇Sound familiar?👇
Your kid lights up talking about something they care about.
Then falls completely flat the moment they have to explain it to someone who doesn't already get it.
They have ideas. Good ones.
But when it comes to getting those ideas out (in a conversation, an essay, a job interview) something gets lost. It comes out wrong. Or flat. Or nobody really listens.
They're not a bad communicator. They just haven't been taught the one thing that fixes all of it.
Nobody teaches this. Not in most schools. Not in most homeschool curricula. And yet it's the skill that shows up in every room they'll ever walk into.
There's a science to storytelling. And it can be learned. See for yourself.👇
This is the Crystal Ball tool. One of my favorites (thanks to Matthew Dicks for teaching me)
Simple. Fast. Actually useful.
"Oh my gosh, these videos are incredible! I was already a passionate storyteller before this course, but those videos reignited that passion. I learned so much, and now every time I watch a movie or read a book I think of the things I learned from this course. It was super helpful and so funny. I would recommend this to anyone. I just loved it!"
Tess
Student
"I have been a big fan of Tanner's YouTube videos, so when he offered a course for teens I was excited to have my daughter try it out. She learned so much about storytelling in a fun and enjoyable way. She liked Tanner's teaching style and found his tools to be applicable in real life. She has tried out his storytelling method, and it has greatly helped her. I would highly recommend this program!"
Meg Thomas
Homeschool Coach
"I thoroughly enjoyed the course. The humor makes it engaging and memorable, while the breadth and depth of topics covered make it incredibly educational. The course is easy to navigate, and all the resources needed for each lesson are gathered in an easily accessible location. I look forward to applying the strategies and structures taught in this course to the stories I create. Thank you for creating such an enriching course!"
Josh
Student
"The Terrible Storyteller course has been an amazing course for my son to take. The course is fun, inspiring, applicable, and packed with writing strategies that are easy to implement! The material is so engaging, funny, and well done that my son's younger siblings saw one of the course videos and were begging to watch more. This is the way learning should be—exciting and educational all packed into one!"
Mindi Eldredge
Founder, The Mindful Heart
"The Terrible Teacher seems to be anything but terrible. The videos in the course are humorous and make me want to continue watching. The homework is fun and entertaining. I definitely know more about telling stories than I did before I started this course, which is of course, the point. I think my time in the course has been well spent."
Anna
Student
"As a homeschooler, this course was different from any other online class I’ve taken…in good ways! I liked that there were a lot of videos. It kept me going from one to the next. As I read other books/movies for my other classes, storylines and elements now pop out at me. I never knew how much thought goes into a story to make it really great. I understand how powerful that can be! I would recommend this to get excited about writing better stories."
Benjamin
Student
"Both my girls loved your class! I heard them laughing and clapping a bravo. They showed me their favorite videos and replayed funny and cool things they learned. You really have a gift with sharing your love of storytelling. I can tell you put your heart into the class."
Angie
Parent
"Me and my older sister finished your course and we loved it! I loved how funny and creative the videos were, and how you used so many fun examples. I learned a lot about storytelling. I loved your section on how Jesus is the master storyteller; it was really neat. "
Naomi
Student
"I have absolutely loved your storytelling class! It’s engaging (and hilarious!) and has so many good insights and resources. As an aspiring writer, I’ve learned a lot already that will really help me with my storytelling skills. I tried to think of a favorite section/lesson, but I loved them all. The Hero’s Journey was one of my favorite parts to study. I also loved the lesson on feedback! Sometimes being a storyteller is hard, but half the battle is sharing my work and getting feedback on it. I especially loved the section on how Jesus is the master storyteller. I hadn't thought about applying things like the 3 acts and the ingredients for a story to Jesus's stories, but it's so cool how they can apply to almost everything."
Noelle
Student
"Before taking this course, all the videos I made were long and boring. The Terrible Teacher course taught me how to edit out the parts I don't need. The whole course inspired me to make more videos, become a better storyteller, and become a better writer."
Luke
Student
"This course offers invaluable insights that can benefit anyone, not just storytellers, filmmakers, or writers, but anyone looking to communicate ideas effectively. The explanations are incredibly clear, making complex concepts feel intuitive. I found myself drawn to the structure of the lessons, and to get the most out of them, I started watching each video twice—first to absorb the big-picture concepts, like the three-act structure or the seven steps, and then again with notes in hand to deepen my understanding. This approach gave my mind a head start and helped me engage with the material more fully. Beyond the great content, I also love the humor in the videos—it’s exactly my style, which makes learning even more enjoyable. Overall, this course has been both enlightening and entertaining, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone interested in storytelling, filmmaking, or writing or communicating ideas. "
Brennan
Parent/Student
"I learned to spend more time planning out my stories before I begin writing. I used to just pull out a pen and paper and start scribbling away, and then ten or so minutes later I would have nothing left, would get upset, and never want to think about that story again. But thanks to this course I know a lot more about techniques for planning what is going to happen in my story. My favorite part of the course was the lesson using the cheeseburger video. It was a well done story tied in with learning and set a lot of ground for storytelling. And yes, it looked cool to try."
Logan
Student
"Before The Terrible Storyteller, my son loved the idea of writing stories… but not the actual process. He’d grab a pen, write for ten minutes, run out of ideas, and get so frustrated he’d give up. We had a growing pile of half-finished stories collecting dust. Then he started this course... (Read the rest here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNGkqevuNDt/?igsh=MTBkbDJuNTU1NnVzbw==)"
Laura
Parent
Five dollars a month. Yes, really.
Not $97. Not a $500 curriculum box. Five dollars a month.
The goal isn't to make a fortune. The goal is to make this so easy to try that you don't have to think twice about it — and then let the results do the talking.
Cancel anytime. No contracts, no pressure.
But if your teen sticks with it? They'll have a skill most adults never learn.
What Are The Next Steps?
- Watch the course trailer with your teen. (This matters — if they're not interested, don't subscribe. Spend the five bucks on something they'll actually engage with like... building things with Mark Rober.)
- Subscribe for $5/month. Takes about 30 seconds.
- Hit play on the first lesson and everything happens from there. 🚀
Start "The Terrible Storyteller" Course.
Cancel any time
Frequently Asked Questions
Because the goal isn't to make a fortune — it's to get this in front of as many teens as possible. It's what I wish I could've had when I was a teen. At $5 a month, there's no reason not to try it. And if your teen gets nothing out of it, cancel. No forms, no phone calls, no drama.
The course is broken into focused sections that each teach one piece of the storytelling framework. Your teen will learn the anatomy of a story, how to find stories in their own life, how to structure them, and how to tell them in a way that keeps people listening.
Yep. This course was designed with homeschoolers and self-motivated teens in mind. They can go as fast or as slow as they want.Â
Built for teens, but the principles work for anyone. If your kid is 12 and curious, they'll get something out of it. If they're 17 and about to start interviewing for jobs, they'll get even more.
No. Your teen won't be writing essays or producing a film portfolio. This is about learning how to create stories. From there they'll be able to apply the skills to whatever format they prefer (written, video, oral).Â
Cancel anytime. Seriously — one click, no questions asked. But watch the trailer with them first. If they're not interested after two minutes, don't subscribe. We'd rather you spend the five dollars on something they'll actually engage with.
It's $5/month. You can cancel anytime. As long as you're subscribed, your teen has full access to all current and future lessons/content.
No. I believe in God and Jesus Christ. The teachings of Jesus have influenced who I am, what I do, and what I say. But, no, this is not a religious course. However, I do use scriptures from the Old and New Testament throughout and I have one whole section dedicated to learning from the master storyteller (hint: it’s Jesus). So, yes, it is Christian influenced, but the sole focus is not Jesus. The focus is storytelling and editing.
Worth passing along to your co-op or homeschool group.
Confession
I like to say my wife and I homeschool, but my wife is actually the awesome teacher and I'm the supporter. The video below is the story of my attempt. 👇👇
