Myfavorite screenwriting books (so far!)

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  • Myfavorite screenwriting books (so far!)

    The Screenwriter's Bible is good, but two books are FAR more important:

    THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE by Strunk and White, and a recent copy of the WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY. Everything else is superflous.

    Go to one of the online script sites like DREW'S and get yourself a few dozen screenplays, "spec scripts" would be best. The nice thing about sites like Drew's is that you can read spec scripts there, and some of them are damn good!

    My own preferences?

    THE COMPLETE BOOK OF SCRIPTWRITING by J. Michael Straczinski is probably the best book I've seen so far. It covers radio, stage, TV , animation, documentary and screen writing information. Check it out. Beg your librarian to add it to their collection!

    I'm reading Philip Parker's The Art & Science of SCREENWRITING.
    I've got the Second Edition published in Great Britain by Intellect Books 1999. ISBN 1-84150-000-3.

    Despite the clunky title, "YOU CAN WRITE A MOVIE" by Pamela (WITNESS) Wallace is a very good, very informative beginner's book, so simple they could use it to teach screenwriting to grade school kids!

    I really like "500 Ways to Beat the Hollywood Script Reader" by Jennifer Lerch. It's a compilation of often seen mistakes and advice from script readers/analysts in the biz. Once you're ready to try selling a script, you'll benefit greatly from the advice in this book.

    In terms of wannabe books, I've read all of them: Syd Field, Robert McKee, Linda Seger, Richard Walter, etc. I found McKee's most generally useful, and Syd Field's books helpful in creating a skeleton, so to speak, for a screenplay. Not much more.

    The book that taught me the most about the craft of screenwriting was Story by Robert Mckee. It outlines how to flesh out plot and character and create a work that's all your own, not a melting pot of previous films. I go back to it frequently.

    Linda Seger's books," Making a Good Writer Great", "Making a Good Script Great" and "Creating Unforgettable Characters" were also helpful.

    Of course taking a class is much better because you get feedback from professionals and fellow writers. Worth mortgaging your Shi-atszu for!

    "Fearless Creativity" by Eric Maisel-the bible of tapping into your own creativity, dealing with writers block and disciplining yourself as a writer. His bottom line: Just Write!

    Since almost all of us use computers to write, you don't need to know formatting, for instance since you can get software to do that for you. Right?

    Wrong! There's much more to formatting than just getting the margins right!

    Peruse the FORMAT forum. There's stuff in there that I didn't have Clue One about!

    You need to read informative articles, like:

    Talking Common Sense About Format and Style by Charles Deemer.

    On my website http://www.trutopia.org, in the SCREENWRITING forum, check out THE AUGUST PAPERS for many helpful hints, and the very important article THE NEW SPEC STYLE by David Trottier.

    I have posted enough articles on http://www.zoetrope.com to make your OWN book, and the information is more distilled, thus much more accessible. If you're not yet a member of Zoetrope (and why aren't you??) go sign up and send Mikal D. Huber a Zmail, requesting an invitation to my office.

  • #2
    Re: My favorite screenwriting books (so far!)

    Originally posted by Mikal
    The Screenwriter's Bible is good, but two books are FAR more important:

    THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE by Strunk and White, and a recent copy of the WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY. Everything else is superflous.
    I didn't read the rest of the post. It seemed superflous.
    http://wasitsomethingiwrote.blogspot.com/

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    • #3
      Re: Myfavorite screenwriting books (so far!)

      Please change your Screen Name to Alec--as in SMART ALEC!

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      • #4
        Re: Myfavorite screenwriting books (so far!)

        English Smart Alec is a stereotype. I read somewhere you should try to avoid those. Possibly on Zoetrope.
        http://wasitsomethingiwrote.blogspot.com/

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        • #5
          Re: Myfavorite screenwriting books (so far!)

          Isn't the term ENGLISH stereotypical enough already? When I read that, I always seem to see either Rowan Atkinson, John Cleese or Margaret Thatcher (or the entire cast of Coronation Street! The horror!) Although I am awfully fond of Dickens.

          As I'm a Canadian, so feel free to poke fun at me in return. (And as a Canadian, I'll be most polite about it.)

          But apart fom names and misnomers, which screenwriting books have you read, and which did you like? (I'm trying to keep this discussion on track, so please help!)
          Last edited by Mikal; 06-07-2006, 03:55 PM.

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          • #6
            Re: Myfavorite screenwriting books (so far!)


            I read Lew Hunter Screenwriting 101. I didn't know sh1t from shinola and thought it was pretty good.

            A couple of years later I recognised the flaws. A couple of years after that I recognised that for a new writer it is still a damn good book.

            I haven't read much else. Chris Vogler, Robert Mckee to see what the fuss was about. Still not sure.

            I do read a lot of scripts though. I think that the ability to self analyse good script writing is more beneficial than being told what is good by people who in general have written....not very much.
            http://wasitsomethingiwrote.blogspot.com/

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            • #7
              Re: My favorite screenwriting books (so far!)

              Have yet to read Lew Hunter's Screenwriting 101, but as for the rest, I quite agree, Dave. Analysing scripts is one of the best learning tools. Although you can learn to analyse a script, that ability isn't inherant in all writers, sad to say. The hardest thing is to apply that all-seeing eye to your own material. We never can see what's right before our eyes, can we? Thank God for peer review!

              I liked Vogler's distillation of Joseph Campbell and still find myself using bits and pieces, sometimes without noticing.

              I see that Bill Martell is in this thread. Bill, what's your favorite screenwriting book? Anyone else care to comment?

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              • #8
                Re: My favorite screenwriting books (so far!)

                Originally posted by Mikal
                The hardest thing is to apply that all-seeing eye to your own material. We never can see what's right before our eyes, can we? Thank God for peer review!
                Paraphrasing W. Goldman - the pre-requisite of a pro writer is a built in shockproof bullsh!t detector. If you can't smell your own crap then don't take it for granted that others will and warn you.
                http://wasitsomethingiwrote.blogspot.com/

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                • #9
                  Re: Myfavorite screenwriting books (so far!)

                  Originally posted by writerly
                  Not only is it a good book, Lew is -- truly -- a really, really great, sincere person.
                  Yep the kind of guy who brags about when he was an ABC executive he called a pretty successful showrunner 'A man for one season'

                  It's pretty funny, and it makes a point, but......
                  actually it's pretty funny and it makes a point.
                  http://wasitsomethingiwrote.blogspot.com/

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                  • #10
                    Re: Myfavorite screenwriting books (so far!)

                    Seriously, I liked the book. Seriously.

                    The ABC anecdote from his book was intended as a sub-textual way of showing why my opinion changed with experience.

                    My apologies for being obtuse.
                    http://wasitsomethingiwrote.blogspot.com/

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                    • #11
                      Re: Myfavorite screenwriting books (so far!)

                      Originally posted by writerly
                      no prob. I was actually referring to him as a person, I've worked with him.
                      If you get a chance to take one of his workshops, I recommend it.
                      I will look out for the next opportunity. And to all new writers, it is actually a very good book. Just ignore 'The Glass Hammer' script section which is vomitritious. The rest, like the 'Two Minute Movie' etc is golden.
                      http://wasitsomethingiwrote.blogspot.com/

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                      • #12
                        Re: Myfavorite screenwriting books (so far!)

                        Is that two contrary opinions I see before me?

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                        • #13
                          Re: Myfavorite screenwriting books (so far!)

                          I get the Shakespeare allusion. But that's all. I'm doing my best to 'keep this on track' But I get the feeling that if it doesn't involve Zoetrope or your website then your dogmatic postings will fall on your deaf ears.
                          http://wasitsomethingiwrote.blogspot.com/

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                          • #14
                            Re: Myfavorite screenwriting books (so far!)

                            When you ASSUME, you make an ASS of U and ME, Dave.

                            Where the heck do you get that from? You presume far too much. I'm here on DD because I'm really frustrated with Zoetrope (having been a member since its very beginning), and also increasingly frustrated with the lack of posts by my site members. I have 95 members, but only five that seem to post with any sort of regularity.

                            And why should MY dogmatic postings fall on MY deaf ears? I think your meaning is muddled there. I have yet to make a single "dogmatic" posting. I'm much more of a cat person.

                            What do you do, hang around this board and diss the newbies or something? I assure you I am no newbie, and can give far better than most can dish , so please, if you're looking to pick fights, desist now and we will remain if not friends, then at least friendly. If not...consider this fair warning.
                            Last edited by Mikal; 06-07-2006, 04:37 PM.

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                            • #15
                              Re: My favorite screenwriting books (so far!)

                              Apparently you can not smell your own, Dave, since that's is precisely what I said! Paraphrasing Goldman (rather sloppily, I might add!) doesn't get you many points with me, since I studied with him. I suggest you try reading WHAT LIE DID I TELL? You missed Part Two of that lesson. BS filters apply to yourself, yes, but mostly they apply to others.

                              Mine automatically kicked in at your first disrespectful post.

                              BTW, I'm not going to fight with you, especially since we are actually agreeing about most of this "dogma" you accuse me of spouting, but if you insist on insulting me either overtly or covertly, you will not be happy with the result.

                              Never bring a knife to a gun fight-especially not a dull one!
                              Last edited by Mikal; 06-07-2006, 04:36 PM.

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