Screenwriting Books - What To Read
ScriptLinks Recommended Books
Most Recommended Books On The Net
Book Review - Writing Drama
Given the plethora of books on the subject, one could study all the various aspects of the craft and business, not to mention read the mountain of available produced and spec scripts, without ever getting around to writing FADE IN: let alone anything that follows.
To craft a screenplay, some understanding of structure and formatting is essential before writing that first script. For the beginner, reading at least two books on screenwriting would probably be a good idea. There's not much point in reading a host of books beforehand, since only working on a screenplay can really provide the understanding needed to absorb most of the information offered.
You should continue to read throughout the writing and rewriting process about the various aspects of the craft and business to suit your needs and level of mastery. To attempt to digest the contents of a book that speaks to a level of screenwriting beyond your experience will likely make the process seem more complicated and intimidating than it needs to be. Don't rush into learning the finer points of the craft until the basic art of putting words on the page is mastered. It's self-defeating to learn the use of motifs, or where to place camera shots, when the first twenty pages of the script goes nowhere, or the climax of the story fizzles.
It's not necessary to read books on pitching, marketing, finding an agent or a producer, until your script is actually ready to sell. This point can take far longer to reach than most screenwriters realize, or want to acknowledge.
The best books will continue to inform and educate all the way along the screenwriting journey. Returning to a book months or even years later can provide insights that weren't available earlier, with a writer's greater knowledge of the screenwriting process.
There are many approaches to story, structure, and other aspects of screenwriting - find the ones that work for you. Don't take the advice offered in any one book as being the definitive word on the subject. Reading from a variety of sources will help you to develop a well-rounded view of the craft and business.
Top of PageI've studied many screenwriting books over several years - these are my personal favorites at present.
The Screenwriters Bible - David Trottier
Covers everything, too helpful to ever put away on the shelf.
Which Lie Did I Tell - William Goldman
An immensely informative and entertaining look at the life in the biz.
Writing Drama - Yves Lavandier
Like taking a course in dramatic writing. The extensive material is broken into digestible bits.
Crafty Screenwriting - Alex Epstein
Practical insights from a Canadian writer and exec working in Hollywood.
Making A Good Script Great - Linda Seger
Useful at all stages of the writing process.
Screenwriting 434 - Lew Hunter
The next best thing to taking his class. Friendly, and eminently readable.
How Not To Write A Screenplay - Denny Martin Flynn
Great for demonstrating the mistakes writers commonly make - an easy read.
After scouring the net, I've compiled a list of the most recommended books on screenwriting.
Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field
Written by the godfather of all script gurus, this book was revolutionary in its analysis of movie paradigms. His views on structure are controversial but his writing is crisp, succinct, and pithy -- just like a good screenplay.
Making a Good Script Great: A Guide for Writing and Rewriting by Linda Seger
A smartly written and practical approach for fixing whatever ails your script. Hollywood script consultant Linda Seger offers a wealth of genuinely useful insights into the complete screenplay writing process. If you're writing your very first script, this in-depth screenwriting guide will help develop your skills and tell a compelling story. If you're a veteran screenwriter, this book will help you use the skills you already have. And if you're stuck on a rewrite, this book will help you analyze the problems and get you back on track.
Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting by Robert Mckee
Master storyteller and teacher Robert McKee shares his deep understanding of characterization, screenplay structure, story and form as the keys to dynamic screenwriting. McKee's award-winning methods, taught to thousands of students in his popular screenwriting workshops, provide real results, as many of his students have gone on to write, direct, and produce outstanding movies and television programming. A brilliant analysis of why we tell stories, the structures that have evolved in cinema narrative, and the dynamics that translate themes into action.
Writing Screenplays That Sell: The Complete, Step-By-Step Guide for Writing and Selling
by Michael Hauge
A complete blueprint for writing and selling film and TV scripts by renowned screenwriting teacher and coach Michael Hauge. One of the most practical screenwriting books on the market, this myth-busting manual puts purpose behind your dream of breaking into the film industry and shows you how to effectively pursue a screenwriting career.
Lew Hunter's Screenwriting 434 by Lew Hunter
From his spirited and competitive graduate screenwriting workshops, Lew Hunter has launched a generation of filmmakers. This classic screenwriting guide contains all his secrets to effective screenplay writing - from developing an original script to adapting a story from another medium. Also included is Hunter's famous two-minute-movie lecture. A practical and inspiring guide by the former chair of U.C.L.A.'s screenwriting department and resident script wizard. Lew is great for encouragement and offers good advice whilst getting you to work on your script.
The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Chris Vogler
Explores the powerful relationship between mythology and storytelling in a clear, concise style. Based on the work of Joseph Campbell, Vogler offers a set of useful myth-inspired storytelling paradigms based on "The Hero's Journey," and provides a step-by-step guide to plot and character development within the screenplay structure.
How Not to Write a Screenplay: 101 Common Mistakes Most Screenwriters Make by Denny Martin Flinn
As a film industry executive who read tons of screenplays every week, Denny Martin Flinn saw first-hand that, while all good screenplays are unique, all bad screenplays tend to suffer from the same set of problems. Flinn clearly explains how to avoid the pitfalls of bad screenwriting, and provides the reader with a no-nonsense analysis of the latest techniques for crafting a first-rate script. Every example used was gleaned from a legitimate screenplay.
Screenwriting: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film and Television Writing by Richard Walter
With wit and common sense, Walter offers you the same expertise he's given thousands of students who attend his legendary lectures at UCLA and refer to him as the screenwriters' guru. His highly-prized curriculum is now available as a how-to manual that will help you grasp the most important elements of screenwriting; deal with violence and sex; understand the difference between real and reel stories, and many other rules for scriptwriting essentials from dialogue to plot to character development. Entertaining and informative.
The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script
by Dave Trottier
A wealth of information in one indispensable guide: a screenwriting primer and workbook; a clear, concise film and TV script formatting guide; a spec screenplay writing manual; a script sales and marketing handbook; and an extensive resource directory. Author David Trottier provides you with sample query letters, worksheets, checklists, hundreds of examples, sample scenes, and crystal clear explanations of script formatting and screenwriting fundamentals.
The Savvy Screenwriter: How to Sell Your Screenplay (and Yourself) Without Selling Out!
by Susan Kouguell
The Savvy Screenwriter demystifies the film industry and reveals what screenwriters really want and need to know: Finding and working with agents and attorneys; Instructive tools and samples for queries, synopses, treatments, loglines, beatsheets, and outlines; How to prepare a pitch; Getting inside the heads of story analysts and movie executives; Understanding option agreements and development deals; Information about online script registries, script competitions, and pitch festivals; Learning film lingo, and discovering extensive resources. While other books tell you how to craft a screenplay, Kouguell teaches you to successfully sell your work.
Art Of Dramatic Writing: Its Basis in the Creative Interpretation of Human Motives by Lajos Egri
A standard on every writer's shelf. Amid the hundreds of "how-to" books that have appeared in recent years, there have been very few which attempted to analyze the mysteries of play-construction. This book does that - and its principles are so valid that they apply equally well to the short story, novel and screenplay. Lajos Egri examines a play from the inside out, starting with the heart of any drama: its characters. All good dramatic writing depends upon an understanding of human motives. He shows how it is essential for the author to have a basic premise - a thesis, demonstrated in terms of human behavior - and to develop his dramatic conflict on the basis of that behavior. His book is a direct, jargon-free approach to the problem of achieving truth in a literary creation.
French writer Yves Lavandier provides a refreshing European perspective on scriptwriting - a counter-balance to the view from inside Hollywood. He uses psychology as a guide to developing dramatic irony and characters, with many insights on the dramatic writing process.
Originally released in French, the sheer size and density of this 595 page text makes for an intensive read. However, the book is highly accessible, with clearly defined sections laced with examples, quotes, and generous references. Lavandier often makes satisfyingly defining statements such as, 'to understand life is to understand drama'. While not a starting point for the study of scriptwriting, this book has much to offer those already familiar with the craft. 'Writing Drama' isn't a flip-through index book for quick pointers, but more of a course study.
As the author makes constant reference to particular plays and films, it's advisible, as Lavandier suggests, to be familiar with at least some of the most frequently cited material before reading this book.
Using the Aristotle model for drama, Lavandier sets out a basic form for storytelling: character - objective - obstacles. He never lets the writer forget the audience, with his insistance on creating a simple and clear storyline. His emphasis on emotional insight for characters, and an awareness of their motivations, is a point often overlooked in other screenwriting books.
Lavandier believes in a thorough story structure being developed before writing the script, and values the screenplay as a constant work in progress. He reminds us that every first draft is just the beginning of the process, even for professional writers, and that time must be dedicated to the craft to develop a successful dramatic script.
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