Benjamin, an awkward teenager and aspiring sci-fi writer, lives with his eccentric, craft-happy mother. Struggling to cope with the loss of his father, Ben immerses himself in writing his novel, "Yeast Lords: The Bronco Years." Eager to develop his skills and find a broader audience, Ben attends a writers' camp where he meets his idol, the renowned but creatively bankrupt author Ronald Chevalier. During the camp's writing contest, Ben submits his cherished manuscript while navigating the bizarre dynamics of the camp and encountering fellow quirky writers.

Unbeknownst to Ben, Chevalier is desperate for fresh content to revive his dwindling career. Stumbling across Ben's submission, Chevalier decides to plagiarize it, rebranding "Yeast Lords" with his own bizarre twists. Meanwhile, Ben's home life takes a turn when he gets involved with some local filmmakers who convince him to produce a low-budget adaptation of his story. As Ben's personal and creative worlds spiral out of control, he must fight to reclaim his work and identity amidst the chaos wrought by Chevalier's theft and his own misadventures in amateur filmmaking.