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I think much of what is in this book would be beneficial to novelists or playwrights as well. It also tells you how discouraging screenwriting can be -- which is good to know up front, in case you may think you don't have the stomach for this endeavor.This would be a fun book to read even if you WEREN'T interested in becoming a screenwriter. I always love to read about how people work, and this is a great example of that type of book. It gives a number of a screenwriters who have written screenplays you will recognize, and they comment on how they work, what inspires them, how they think up new ideas, how they keep their creativity flowing, etc.
So how do you find one. Someone like an agent or producer.which a few do seem to acknowledge. And for that, what's more important is having someone who believes so totally in your work, they won't take no for an answer from anyone until it's a finalized product on the screen.
Get advice from writers actually making a living in the film and TV biz and see if emulating their methods helps you get ahead. And the truth is, having someone like Scott Rosenberg tell you all you have to do is write a good script is hysterically funny, considering he has yet to turn one out but got his work produced because of connections. Y'know, this isn't a bad book to have.
And also considering how many good scripts get completely ignored (not taking about mine, here) while dreck is sold for six-figures all the time.The fact is, I don't really see anything in here that helps a first-time writer get his or her work noticed without meeting someone who can get it through the door. Keep meeting people and pushing and selling yourself.advice given out by hundred of other books on writing.which just makes this one.typical. And many of them have turned out fine films.
But much of the advice given out is, and many of the suggestions made are, so typical and simplistic, it makes you wonder why you haven't made it, already.
The book is organized by topics you may need help with. If you are having a problem writing a screenplay, you can use this book to look up the subject you need help with and get advice on that subject from multiple screenwriters. It's great. Then successful screenwriters explain how they solve the problem you need help with. It's really great. You could read it from cover to cover but I like to have it available when I need advice on a given subject.
Cuts through the gloss and gives you a naked view of the grueling hard work that creates success. This is a good way to analysis successful habits and get a cross-section of personal habits. But something clicked inside me and I started writing. Starts with a narrative of each screenwriters bio and how they got into screenwriting. Then the book is broken down by topic with each writers response to each topic.
Hollywood should read this book again. The book contained lots of great ideas for writing a better script.
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