New Book From Actual Screenwriters

[The Road Warrior]

Originally Posted by figment

I'm currently reading it. I think it's a great book if you want an overview of the business. How things happen. What happens to a script sale from point A to point B, stuff like that.

But...

I'm somewhat baffled by all the praise. It's funny how things like -- "Hey, don't be an argumentative a-hole when someone gives you notes" is considered innovative, shocking advice. Really? Politeness when dealing with people that are paying you is just plain common sense.

The format is a big turn-off. Written in such an all-caps IDIOTIC!!! manner that it comes off like, We got here by nothing but some sort of blip in the universe, but if you too want to get rich writing meaningless and unfunny crap like The Pacifier**, we're here for you!! Even Blake Snyder is less annoying and I didn't think that was humanly possible.

The best book I've read (other than Goldman) is SCREENWRITERS ON SCREENWRITING by Joel Engel. It's not a how-to either, and is pretty old now, but it had real conversations with depth about writer's experiences good and bad in the business. Check that one out if you haven't.

** which isn't to say that if you do want to write a soft comedy like The Pacifier that you are less of a writer, but that the choice should be by design instead of like, gee, I can't believe they bought this piece of crap! Yay for us!! We are winners!!!

I hear you Figment. I'm often tempted in by these types of books, anecdotal, rather than 'how to', but I've got enough. I have one somewhere on the spec boom of the 90s, and it deals with HW 'hype' in an intelligent way, it's getting out of date, but the lessons are ones you still see related here all the time, and the Joe Engel book sounds like a good read, but I think I have an equiv. in MOVIEMAKERS' MASTERCLASS by Faber, and a little known book by Syd Field, yes Syd Field, that much maligned "first guru' or the 'pappa of all guru's' but what Syd Field does is take a backseat and interview agents, managers, writers, and the anecdotes are very readable and heartfelt, savvy, and show how everybody has a job to do and a pov in the biz.

... but, sinnner that I am, or is that sucker, I'm still tempted to buy this book and the Joe Engels one, but I MUST resist.

[Left Hand]

Finished it this morning.

I tend to avoid the gurus and consultants. Like a marriage consultant who's never been married, if you've never sold a script, what the hell do you know about writing a saleable script? Or you get has-beens that haven't sold anything in two decades, or only worked direct-to-TV a while back. They can teach you structure and story theory, but aren't going to be the best authorities when it comes to the current climate and system in HW. They just need to pay their mortgage.

So I was pretty thrilled to see this come out, for the same reason the OP pointed out. A book about screenwriting from people who are actually working screenwriters. I'm also a big Reno 911 fan, so Garant & Lennon are, as far as I'm concerned, the ****... Herbie: Fully Loaded or no Herbie: Fully Loaded.

I breezed through this in less than 24 hours. It is, as previously reported, damn funny.

Most of the book, in short chapters, amounts to some pretty to-the-point info on how to navigate LA and the show biz. Actual writing is covered lightly, in a "write like this, not like that" sort of way. But it's fair, good advice. Nothing that'll blow the doors open for people who've been writing for a while, but good for the newbie.

The meat is on the business end. Here is where I actually did get some great new information. Writers being rehired at the end of development to recover a project - apparently, this is a thing. A relatively common one. Huh.

And there's plenty else on deals, representation, development, credits, roles, etc. etc. I learned stuff. I like that.

There are also great anecdotes, and some gut laughs along the way. Getting beat up by Jackie Chan. The studio exec that fell asleep mid-pitch. Finding out that Billy Crystal is a dick. The politics of studio parking lots. The location of every IN-n-OUT in LA County. The joys of alcoholism. Obsessing over Helen Mirren's ta-tas.

Great book, quick read, very funny.

[wcmartell]

Originally Posted by figment

The best book I've read (other than Goldman) is SCREENWRITERS ON SCREENWRITING by Joel Engel.

Let me second the Engel book - and it *is* a how to book, he asks a bunch of questions about craft... just with Michael Mann and Robert Towne and other pros telling you their techniques. Engels also did another book with Oscar winners talking about their writing methods, which is also great.

- Bill

[froonly]

Bill,

talking of books (rather than eBooks), are you still thinking about getting Secrets... and your other tomes out in paper (via Lulu.com or somesuch?), rather than nook/kindle editions only?

[wcmartell]

Focal Press has been swapping e-mails with me...

PS: I would have thought by now they'd have made a decision and sent me a contract, since all 5 of my books are almost always in the Amazon Top 10 Screenwriting Books (kindle) and the good cover blurbs from pro writers have now become *great* (front cover is from the #3 B.O. screenwriter of all time now), but one of my conditions is that I keep e-book rights... and I have no idea how much money is in paper these days.

- Bill

[froonly]

Originally Posted by wcmartell

Focal Press has been swapping e-mails with me...

PS: I would have thought by now they'd have made a decision and sent me a contract, since all 5 of my books are almost always in the Amazon Top 10 Screenwriting Books (kindle) and the good cover blurbs from pro writers have now become *great* (front cover is from the #3 B.O. screenwriter of all time now), but one of my conditions is that I keep e-book rights... and I have no idea how much money is in paper these days.

- Bill

Hope that works out for you. But if it doesn't, you might want to check out lulu.com: http://www.lulu.com/services/distrib..._services_sell

Also, you might not have seen this in LA, but up here in Santa Cruz, we've got on-demand printing coming to town: http://www.bookshopsantacruz.com/future-bookselling.

That might be a good compromise as these machines proliferate.

[BChristgau]

Originally Posted by wcmartell

Focal Press has been swapping e-mails with me...

PS: I would have thought by now they'd have made a decision and sent me a contract, since all 5 of my books are almost always in the Amazon Top 10 Screenwriting Books (kindle)...

And I remember how I was predicting that the Kindle would be a complete and total failure. I remember thinking, "Who the heck will want to read books on a freaking computer screen?" Ha!

Cheers,

B

[SteveLilley]

I read my first book in over a year the other day that was a literal book and not on my iPad.

It was... peculiar.

[SundownInRetreat]

I love this book! An absolute hoot! Had tears rolling down my cheeks. It's worth the money just for the anecdotes alone.

Plus it's about the business side of things not the writing aspect (and their comments about McKee are hilarious too) so it's not like you've heard it time and again from the unproduced gurus.

And Tom Lennon is hilarious in everything he's in. He even made 17 Again palatable.

[lostfootage]

I loved the book, too. I felt like I was reading stand up. Good biz advice, like why it pays to be gracious when you're fired. My favorite chapter was the one on car hobbies.