Screenplay: Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd FieldScreenplay: Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field helped me more than any other book when I went on to write over 100 screenplays. When I was a teen and in my twenties, Syd Field, Dwight Swain, and Jack Bickham influenced me more than any other ten writing gurus. Somewhat surprising, […]
Continue readingStory: Substance, Structure, Style, & the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKeeStory by Robert McKee is one of twelve books most major writers have in their writing toolbox. Writers and filmmakers consider McKee one of the great teachers for substance, structure, style, dialogue, and all elements of storytelling. “To the people who write, direct and produce for Hollywood […]
Continue readingSave the Cat by Blake SnyderSave the Cat by Blake Snyder, a #1 bestseller for 15 years, is a worldwide must-read for screenwriters, but I recommend it for all types of storytellers. The more exposure writers have to the best storytelling teachers, the better writers we become. The producer of several hits including The Taking of […]
Continue readingThe Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface by Donald MaassIn The Emotional Craft of Fiction, Donald Maass teaches how to “engage your readers with emotion.” Do not most readers seek a deep emotional connection with a book? Perhaps, more than anything else, whether a reader connects with a book depends on […]
Continue readingHow to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method by Randy IngermansonHow to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method is Randy Ingermanson’s brainchild; a creative, fun technique demonstrated in live, living color. I know Intermanson for his remarkable blog on cause and effect where he brilliantly summarizes the work of Dwight Stone and his […]
Continue readingWriting Screenplays that Sell by Michael HaugeWriting Screenplays that Sell is not only a must-read for screenwriters but any serious writer striving to perfect storytelling. After Syd Field’s Screenplay, no other screenwriting book played a greater role in my development. Finding this book when it was released in the late ’80s was nothing short of a […]
Continue readingScene and Structure by Jack BickhamScene and Structure still resonates today as much as when Dr. Jack Bickham released in the early 1990’s. Dwight Swain’s greatest and brightest protege, Bickham blazed his own path in the literary world. As a distinguished professor and department head at the University of Oklahoma, Bickham taught the principles in […]
Continue readingStephen KingOn Writing by Stephen KingOn Writing by Stephen King is memoir where the writing legend describes his writing journey, his technique, some pet peeves, and other author insight. The volume of Stephen King’s work surpasses perhaps any modern author when combining the number of pages written and the level of sustained quality. By pinning On […]
Continue readingDwight SwainTechniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight SwainPerhaps no book has influenced writing gurus and writers like Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain. The University of Oklahoma, where Swain taught and released his books, states, “This is the book for writers who want to turn rejection slips into cashable checks.”Techniques of the Selling […]
Continue readingJohn TrudyThe Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John TrudyJohn Trudy is a legend among filmmakers, and in The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller, he breaks elements every great story includes. Although Trudy’s background is in the film business, the book was written for and […]
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