Writing Movies: The Practical Guide to Creating Stellar Screenplays Paperback – September 19, 2006

This book is for anyone who wants to really learn the art and craft of screenwriting. The problem with most screenwriting "how to" books is that they all purport to have the secret sauce that will lead you to success. This book is very different, it's old school - it takes a nuts and bolts approach to help you write your stories without following some cookie cutter nonsense and one size fits all structural advice. "Writing Movies" will teach you all of the relevant structural theories as well as the best way to think about and write action and dialog. Every chapter is a master class on its topic, whether it be dialog, action, plot etc. and the writing is witty and easy to read. If you want to learn how to write a high quality original screenplay, look no further than "Writing Movies". It is hands down the best and most complete book on screenwriting ever written - that's why I gave it five stars. Get it. Read it. Absorb it. And then start writing a couple of hours every day and read great screenplays along the way. Good Luck !!!

This book is an excellent guide for turning an interesting but poorly written screenplay into a compelling one that has more sales potential. Each chapter is by a different author and emphasizes a certain aspect of the writing process, such as the need for action rather than dialogue, and the importance of character development. The book uses the screenplays of five well-known films to illustrate how this should be done. I found this method of teaching very useful and enjoyed the different views of the authors.The book assumes that the reader plans to write a standard, feature-length movie. Many independent filmmakers, myself included, make shorter films which present additional challenges not mentioned in this book. Telling good stories in less than 30 minutes may require different plots, fewer characters, fewer scenes, and less dialogue. Planning is critical because every frame counts. For making short films, I highly recommend a second book: "The Short Screenplay" by Dan Gurskis, also available from Amazon.

Who would have thought a book about writing screenplays would be so entertaining? Books of this genre are supposed to be drier than five-minute sourdough toast. 'Writing Movies' is witty, thoughtful, and most important, elucidating. It offers--through an analysis of a variety of well-known movies--all the tools and maps for creating your own winning screenplay. Solid formulas that are not formulaic. Aristotle's poetics could not have set the conventions down better than this.It is rare for me, as an author, to take notes about how to weave a tighter plot, create more intriguing protagonists, or nastier antagonists. I thought I had learned it all in my sixty years of living and writing. The charming crew at Gotham Writers' Workshop proved once again to me that we can continue learning and still be entertained doing it. My legal pad is nearly full and this book will be placed (open) next to Bradbury's Zen in the Art of Writing, and the Strunk and White's Elements of Style.

I found it VERY informational and relevant. With supportive anecdotes, you get a real inside glimpse of the movie writer's world of wonder. The book is a great resource for 'writing movies' providing practical exercises to check your inspiration and writing skill progress as you follow the outlined steps. You are shown the script format and why you need to learn how to write in that style. There are even tips on how to get noticed or get an agent.This is my first book on the subject and I am REALLY impressed with their thorough coverage of ALL related subject matter. It was fairly easy to understand & implement and, also, inspirational.

I bought this book for the kindle and I love it to death. Saw it in a bookstore and was hooked from the first chapter. I later ran home and purchased from Amazon.To give you some insight on what this book has to offer here's the table of contents:1. Screenwriting: Inventing a Myth2. Plot: The Path of Action3. Characters: The Lifeblood4. The Page: Words That Move5. Scenes: Exploring and Exploding Moments6. Dialogue: Making More of Less7. Subplots: A Side of Story8. Plot 2: Like a Roller Coaster9. Tone and Theme: The Overlay and Underlay10. Revision: From Rough to Ready11. The business: Slipping Past the Velvet RopeFormat GuideGlossaryCheat sheetAcknowledgmentsContributorsIndexGood luck with your next purchase!

If you want to work as a screenwriter, this book is probably the best introduction (and perhaps the only one you need in terms of learning story). If you read this cover to cover and then start listening to all of the best screenwriting podcasts (Scriptnotes, On The Page, The Treatment, etc), you will notice that its best points eventually come out as advice (not because "Writing Movies" said it first, but because it's what writers know after having written movies).I should note though: this book is old and does cover certain ways of breaking in that exist today. I don't think at any point Craigslist, online job boards, or cold emails were mentioned. That's where those podcasts come in handy. That's my only reason for giving it one star fewer.

I found this book to be the equivalent of a really great writing conference, but aimed specifically at screenwriting. It has a fast-paced conversational tone, with many examples to illustrate their points. I have always tended to rely heavily on dialogue because that is what comes easiest to me, however this helped me achieve a more balanced script so that the emphasis is where it should be... Highly recommended to those who are looking to write a screenplay (and re-read again for the editing phase as a refresher).

Bought it for a class, but it’s a good reference book to have. I wish it would be available on Audible like Gotham’ s book on fiction.