Best Screenwriting Books: Scriptwriting Books Reviewed

These are the best screenwriting books and are all highly regarded.
1. Philip Gladwin's Screenwriting Goldmine
2. Writing Drama by Yves Lavandier
3. Making a Good Script Great by Linda Seger
4. Advanced Screenwriting: Raising Your Script to the Academy Award Level by Linda Seger
5. Screenplay: Writing the Picture by Robin U. Russin, William M. Downs
6. Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder
7. And The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier

You will find with each author that there are things that make sense and really work for you and some that don't. At the end of the day, when you have worked through all the books, you should have developed your own effective process for constructing and writing quality material that people want to produce.

The best screenwriting books purely for the art and craft of screenplay writing are Screenwriting Goldmine, Writing Drama, and Making a Good Script Great.
Philip Gladwin's e-book is the fastest and most bulletproof guide for writing a production worthy screenplay you can find anywhere. He has a wealth of experience writing for British television and is still an active professional. His book used to be a short (65 pages) but has filled out into a full screenwriting course, which is absolutely loaded with valuable information on pre-planning, researching, and crafting a rock solid script.
He literally guides you from blank page to your first draft and it is the best screenwriting book to start with. This book is no longer available in stores and can only be purchased Online.

You can grab a copy here ScreenwritingGoldmine

Here are his credits on the International Movie Data

I agree with this guy. All the other titles are rather ephemeral in comparison. I do however consider all the screenwriting books here to offer something valuable and unique.

London, UK (PRWEB) January 8, 2008
Benjamin Ray of Toronto, Canada, has taken first prize in the Thriller section of the 2007 Pacific Northwest Screenwriters Contest, with his script 'Marcus and Faith'.

Here's what Ben had to say about the Screenwriting Goldmine method:

"I'd listened to many coverage providers, which pushed me into a direction where I was getting lost and my vision was eroding. And I'd read too many screenwriting books that placed me in deep depression. These books are not being honest, they just want to make quick money, and don't really care to tell you the truth about screenwriting. Then I came across the Screenwriting Goldmine book. It's uniquely honest and works on a sub-conscious level. It awoke the giant in me. I still refer to it and read random chapters for inspiration. There are too many books out there -- most are boring and too academic and there are not enough unique techniques or advice in these books. I only trust Screenwriting Goldmine right now. Your book is to the point and cuts out all the bunk. You're not a film professor, you're a screenwriter with brains, heart and soul and realism."

You can check out the full interview here

Antithesis is a very powerful tool for screenwriting when introducing characters to an audience. It is a word more commonly encountered when studying Shakespearean text. It can also be a cinematic tool. It means direct opposites.

Let's look at antithesis as a cinematic tool. In a movie it can be used to build tension and drama. Shots that are in some way directly opposite the previous shot naturally create tension and drama. Up vs. down, left vs. right, and fast vs. slow.

Cinematic Example 1
A shot of a tall tree, the camera slowly pans upward, revealing it's majestic height. The next shot is of a leaf falling down from the tree at a speed faster than the upward establishing shot. What this does is increase the feeling of height associated with the tree. First shot slow and up, and the next one faster and down.

Cinematic Example 2
A Company of noisy marching soldiers, we only see their boots as they march from the left of the frame towards the right. The next shot is of a small street where only one lady weeps quietly over the bodies of the fallen; the camera pans slowly to the left (opposite the marching soldiers not just in motion, but also in mood and sound). The next shot might be of tank treads moving to the right again with the sound of machine gun fire in the background.
What this alternating shot sequence does is create an automatic sense of conflict. Left vs. right, loud vs. quiet, and military vs. civilian. Opposites are a very powerful tool.

Now let's look at antithesis as a screenwriting tool for introducing characters. In a script it can be used to reveal great amounts of information about a character in a short amount of time. Again, opposites will generate drama and tension for characters.

Screenwriting Example 1
A rich woman in expensive clothes is introduced in a very poor environment. She has no maids, handy wipes, or chauffeur. How does she cope? What does she do? She is out of her element. How your character responds to this situation will reveal a lot of information in a short time. Is she a survivor? Does she blend in despite her obvious difference? Is she a prima donna who screams at the local riff raff to pick up her bags? Does she flee in fear? Your character's response to an environment that is well outside their comfort zone reveals much.

Screenwriting Example 2
Let us return to the military genre. A soldier, trained to kill someone a thousand different ways is introduced in a passive civilian setting where his skills have no practical use. Does he apply his mantra of "overcome and adapt" to civilian life? Does he succeed? Is he terrible at it? Does he revert to being a warrior and end up in jail? How does he cope? A single shot of this mighty soldier flipping burgers, accidentally onto the ground, at some fast food joint reveals a great deal about him.

Antithesis is a great trick to use for your main characters opening scene.

The best screenwriting books for selling and marketing your script are The Screenwriter's Bible, and Save the Cat! David Trottier's book is what is considered the gold standard in L.A. Ask anyone (an agent or another writer) about the business side of scriptwriting, they will all point at The Screenwriter's Bible. So, you have better read this one before you start trying to sell your screenplay. This book has a ton of support material aimed at getting your script sold. Query and contact letters, a marketing action plan, and a host of other worksheets are what define this screenwriting book as the Bible.
If you dream of making a movie or television show one day, then you better have a copy of this book under your pillow.

Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! Is another must read for those who aspire to production worthy scripts. It is a grippingly good read with all kinds of scathing insight into the business of screenwriting. The man is sharp, witty, and offers a brilliant look at what sells.

Here is a review for Save the Cat ebook by Blake Snyder

The best screenwriting books for that age-old question "if you were stranded on Desert Island, what two books would you take?" The First would be Philip Gladwin's ScreenwritingGoldmine simply because it offers the quickest, simplest methods for generating quality material. The second book would be The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier because you are going to want to sell your screenplay and absolutely no book will do for you what this one can.
If you are on a tight budget, or feel you only have limited study time, then consider these two books essential. If you are completely new to this craft and still unsure if you have any talent or desire, then grab Philip Gladwin's book as it offers the best basic to advanced instruction for any writer.

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