How Goosebumps Grew Up

Good afternoon,

Good afternoon,

Let's explore how Nicholas Stoller and Rob Letterman revolutionized R.L. Stine's Goosebumps for a new generation... And the unconventional strategy that made it possible.

Here's their groundbreaking approach to reimagining the beloved franchise:

"We're really making stories for adults that just happen to be accessible to younger audiences."

Let's break down their core principles:

1. Age-Up Strategy

• Move beyond middle-grade horror

• Set stories in high school for mature themes

• Target four-quadrant audience appeal

2. Interconnected Storytelling

• Replace anthology format with continuous narrative

• Map multiple books to connected teen characters

• Ground supernatural elements in reality

3. Production-Smart Writing

• Write with direction in mind

• Focus on character reactions over expensive effects

• Cut impractical scenes early in development

The game-changing insight: Success in adapting beloved properties isn't about recreating what worked before. It's about finding fresh angles while honoring the source material's spirit.

Their advice for writers:

• Perfect your spec before sharing

• Master Nora Ephron's 8-chapter structure

• Develop speed and adaptability alongside craft

Quick mindset shift: Stop thinking about "playing in the same sandbox." Instead, focus on reimagining familiar stories for new audiences while maintaining their core appeal.

Keep writing,

- Brock Swinson

P.S. Here’s my full audio interview with the writers of Goosebumps.

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