Writing a Screenplay: Books and Software (Scriptwriting Programs: Final Draft, MovieMagic)

What's going to help you write a good film? Well, nothing will ever replace a good story, but some things can help you figure out the most effective way to tell that story. On this page I have listed some resources I think can be of benefit to aspiring screenwriters, as well as to people who already have many drafts behind them: Classic short films on DVD and great/successful scripts that let you make your own film school, script authoring software that makes formatting your final draft a breeze, and screenwriting books that deal with story and structure, as well as relate experiences in the film industry and entertainment business that help a screenwriter learn how to market and sell a screenplay or treatment once it is written.

Asserting that Aristotle's Poetics has become a standard for constructing movies that reach audiences (and studio heads), Tierno carefully breaks down the fundamentals of screenwriting, highlighting particular aspects of Aristotle's work. Then, using examples from some of the best movies ever made, he demonstrates how to apply these ancient insights to modern-day screenwriting.

Stealing Fire from the Gods : A Dynamic New Story Model for Writers and Filmmakers

Anatomy of a Screenplay

Screenwriting from the Soul: Letters to an Aspiring Screenwriter

Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting

Alternative Scriptwriting: Successfully Breaking
the Rules

In a field where novelty often equals commercial success, scriptwriters frequently strive to create screenplays that are innovative and exceptional. This book explores mainstream, personal, and experimental narrative forms, looking at American and international films. Links scriptwriting to other forms of storytelling, and discusses issues including the three- act structure, working with and against genre, character identification, and the implications of screenplay form. Includes exercises.

How Not to Write a Screenplay

Author Dean Martin Flinn, an experienced script reader, details the common rookie mistakes that drive script readers crazy. Flinn makes no pretense of being able to teach anyone how to write the next Great American Film--or for that matter the next Stupid Summer Blockbuster. Instead he offers information that will help keep the novice screenwriter's opus from being immediately tossed on the trash pile (arguably a more valuable service). As Flinn says in his introduction, if you follow the advice in this book, "you may not write a particularly good screenplay, but you won't write a bad one."

Making a Good Script Great

Writing the Screenplay:
TV and Film

Alan Armer mixes time-honored theory with down-to-earth practical advice, giving beginning and advanced students the benefits of his experiences in both the entertainment industry and the college classroom. Essential topics include organization and structure, conflict, dimensional characters, dialog, subtext, comedy, the profession, among others. Candid, personal discussion by top industry professionals; examples, anecdotes, and scenes from popular films; and challenging screenwriting projects illuminate the realities of successful screenwriting.