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Books on Screenwriting
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Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting
by Syd Field
The granddaddy of books on screenwriting, still used today.
This is a good book to get started. Read it, then burn it.
But read it. Paperback. 272 pages.
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Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting
by William Goldman
An inside account from the screenwriter of Princess
Bride, All The Presidents Men, Marathon Man, and
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. Paperback.
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Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting
by Robert McKee
The latest hot screenwriting instructor. Some find this extensive
book definitive. Others find it just long-winded. Hardcover. 483 pages.
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Making a Good Script Great
by Linda Seger
A good alternative to Syd Field. Uses extensive examples from Witness.
Strong on subplots. Paperback. 242 pages.
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The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers
by Christopher Vogler
For Joseph Campbell fans, Vogler uses mythic structure to
explain screenwriting. Paperback. 326 pages.
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How to Write a Movie in 21 Days: The Inner Movie Method
by Viki King
A get-it-done guide for the desperate. By the way, The Breakfast Club was
written in three days. Rocky and Taxi Driver in a week. Paperback. 208 pages.
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Writing Screenplays That Sell
by Michael Hauge
The title says it. But I dont know anyone who has actually sold a screenplay
after reading this. Paperback. 352 pages.
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The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters: Insider's Secrets from Hollywood's Top Writers
by Karl Iglesias, Lew Hunter
Some basics. Paperback. 232 pages.
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Art of Dramatic Writing
by Lajos Egri
A classic text on drama which applies to screenwriting. Paperback.
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The Artist's Way
by Julia Cameron
A touchy feel-y, new age way to get you started writing. Paperback. 273 pages.
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Books on Screenwriters
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The Craft of The Screenwriter
by John Brady; interviews Paddy Chayevsky (Network), Paul Shraeder
(Taxi Driver), Neil Simon (Heartbreak Kid), Robert
Towne (Chinatown)
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Screenwriters on Screenwriting
by Joel Engel;
interviews Ernest Lehman (North By Northwest), Ted
Tally (Silence of The Lambs), Scott Frank (Get
Shorty), etc.
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Conversations with Wilder
by Cameron Crowe
Backstory I & II by Pat McGillan, (UCLA Press);
interviews Julius Epstein (Casablanca), Goodrich and
Hackett (Father of the Bride), Comden and Green
(Singing in the Rain)
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New Screenwriters Look At New Screenwriters
by William Froug; interviews with Ron Bass (Rain Man),
Cash and Epps (Dick Tracy), Jeff Boam (Lethal
Weapon II)
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Woody Allen
by Eric Lax. Goes into his writing process.
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Magazines
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Written By
, the official Writers Guild publication.
Check out its website at wga.org.
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Scenario
publishes screenplays and interviews.
212-463-0600 info@scenariomag.com
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Creative Screenwriting
Another good resource.
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Writers Digest
sometimes features screenwriting articles.
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Script
is a magazine which may be obtained through
places like Samuel French. It covers screenwriting.
You can also ask them for similar magazines as they go
in and out of business regularly.
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