How Not to Write a Screenplay? That's easy: Stop typing!

I don't know how that needed to be a book...

Quoted from mmmarnie @ Mac...I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE "On Writing".  I read it then bought it on CD and listen to it in my car.

I didn't know it was on CD. Thanks for the heads up!

I`m a big fan of The Screenwriter`s Bible by David Trottier.

Very Informative.

Mark

Quoted from albinopenguin Reading this right now, and it's absolutely amazing. There are a few debatable points, but overall it's been incredibly insightful. Only 50 pages in and I've learned so much. Highly recommended.

Glad to hear it!
I'm so stoked I read this before starting a spec assignment.
All those great screenplay snippets really drove home the lessons.
Predator, Lethal Weapon, Romancing the Stone, Braveheart.....
It just goes on and on. Love reading Shane Black's early stuff.
Snagged a Like New used copy for $6 with shipping. Money VERY well spent!

Regards,
E.D.

Quoted from mmmarnie Just ordered my copy!  Thanks for the recommendation ED and thanks for making the book the link to the Amazon page!

Hey, I'd be in the writing closet without SS and its forum members.
So, it's the least I can do to pay it forward!

I hope you're just as excited as I was about writing a new script after reading it.

Cheers,
E.D.

I have just ordered my copy today, you should ask for some royalties ED.

Steve

Quoted from CoopBazinga I have just ordered my copy today, you should ask for some royalties ED. Steve

LOL! Steve, sure there isn't a little literary agent inside you somewhere?

Hope you get as much out of that book as I did!

Regards,
E.D.

Finished reading this yesterday, really insightful.

Thanks for the recommendation, Brett.

This book is the first screenwriting book I ever read. It was very helpful. I usually take these in with a grain of salt as they usually claim to have the definitive answer on how to write. Obviously that's not the case, but you can always take something away from them.

In my case, they get me in the mood to write.

Quoted from Felipe This book is the first screenwriting book I ever read. It was very helpful. I usually take these in with a grain of salt as they usually claim to have the definitive answer on how to write. Obviously that's not the case, but you can always take something away from them. In my case, they get me in the mood to write.

Quoted from CoopBazinga Finished reading this yesterday, really insightful. Thanks for the recommendation, Brett.

Glad the book worked for you guys.
I would've never picked it up had it not been recommended by a colleague.
It's helping me a great deal with a spec feature film project I'm revising.

The producer wanted me to get a flavor of some of his favorite screenwriters.
And that book is loaded with awesome screenplay snippets.
William Goldman. Shane Black. Diane Thomas. Walter Hill. All great stuff!

He also said something that really gave me some pause...

"Most of the scripts I sold had decent stories.
But they all had a great voice on the page.
That's what got me paid more than anything."

So, I've been trying to take that lesson to heart and this book helped a lot!

Regards,
E.D.

I read "How to write great screenplays and get them into production".

A pretty good read, but looking at my efforts, I must've read it upside down.