Welcome to The Scribblers Toolbox!
I'm Jesse Alexander. For a trio of decades, I’ve scribbled stories that blur the lines between worlds, literally and figuratively.
For the last few years The Scribblers Toolbox has been my space for sharing musings of the moment, practical tools, checklists, and storytelling strategies I’ve developed. Techniques to help scribblers stay inspired, focused, and productive. This scribal profession can be a lonely grind, and I always appreciated the connection offered by the online sites of my fellow creatives.
My content has evolved to include the positive and negative implications of AI tools and techniques for scribblers, the industry, and society.
I’ve been messing around with LLMs and generative models since the drop of ChatGPT, trying to remain relevant and truly grok how these tools can help and hurt my creative process. Claude’s power to craft my ADD creative ramblings into coherence is significant.
Technology evolves, platforms change, but my goal remains constant:
Have fun scribbling bold stories that will entertain and resonate.
You might know some of my TV work: Lost S1, Heroes S1-S3, Alias S1-S5, Hannibal S1-S2, Da-Vinci’s Demons S3, Agent-X S1, Star Trek: Discovery S1, American Gods S2, and Citadel S1.
But you might not know I helped pioneer transmedia storytelling, crafting experiences that extended liner yarns across platforms.
I went pro in 1990, scribbling voice lines for a digitized Bruce Willis in the PS1 video game: Apocalypse. For a decade I scribbled games including a Steven Seagal side-scroller, gigged on tons of screenwriting assignments, and sold feature specs. I had fun and paid my bills, but the only flick made was Eight Legged Freaks.
In 2001, a pal convinced me TV was the place where Hollywood writers could wield real creative power. TV has been my playground for scribbling serialized genre ever since. From the mystery boxes of Lost to the mythic sprawl of Heroes, and psychological horror of Hannibal. FYI: It was really a love story between two wizards.
Throughout I’ve kept my toes in the sea of video games and cross-platform storytelling. Consulting on Far Cry 3, Predator VR, League of Legends, and VALORANT, scribbling animated trailers with Blur Studio. I’ve adapted Scrum methodology to enhance the scribbling rooms of Heroes and American Gods, and once designed an award winning narrative for a candy company’s global ARG. Working across mediums keeps my creative muscles flexible and relevant.
Currently, I still help out on VALORANT, develop new original IPs that are mostly serialized thrillers, speculative mysteries, and emotionally grounded action yarns. I'm always pitching new series, consulting on feature films and games, while experimenting with the insanely terrifying AI tools reshaping creative workflows.
As a Gen-X kid with ADHD who grew up feeding quarters into arcade machines, rolling D&D dice in rumpus rooms, and making backyard Super 8 films with pals, I approach every new project with enthusiasm, gratitude, and a collaborative spirit.
The Scribblers Toolbox
I try to post weekly with hard won lessons from the trenches, narrative insights I’ve gleaned from peers, and the coping methods I use to keep my ADHD brain on track, my creativity flowing, and the ever-present pull of doom and doubt at bay.
If any of this sounds like your vibe, and you don’t mind my horrendous grammar, occasional biz rant or technology tangent, you can subscribe to The Scribblers Toolbox.
All I can promise is one more way for the both of us to procrastinate when we should really just be putting our @## in the chair and cranking out daily pages.
PS: Film images used for educational commentary under fair use.
To learn more about the tech platform that powers this publication, visit Substack.com.
