Best Books about Screenwriting and TV Writing

Whether you are a beginning screenwriter or have been honing your skills during the past decade, you are most likely always ready to read the best books on screenwriting. Sometimes, it's for inspiration, other times for motivation to stick to the craft despite the years of tenacious efforts seeking the first break into the business.

I have compiled a bibliography of the best screenwriting books I know about and use, and have made the list available on my Web site, AcademicBib.com. There are books on screenwriting and books on TV writing, each with a link to Amazon so you can get some information about the piece, read reviews and see if it's a book that interests you.

AcademicBib.com is a work in progress, so navigating the site is still a bit rough. However, using the links directly to the books on screenwriting and TV writing should make the search easier. Missing a book you're looking for? Let me know! You can post here in a blog comment or email the information to TheWriteScript@Yahoo.com.

Happy reading and, better yet, happy writing!
TWS

Writing, writing & writing

In addition to writing my scripts and my academic work, I'm now teaching myself how to write Web code. I'm starting with the easy-to-learn html and CSS, then I'll later be incorporating PHP and MySQL. It's a different type of writing but there is a certain creativity that comes into play that reminds me that even though the words I'm writing are wrapped up in code, they are no less my words.

What's gratifying about writing Web code is that I can upload new code and see the results, both good and bad, of my labor instantly. Live on the World Wide stage. It has become my new hobby, a way to distract me from my thesis, a way to kill time that feels more productive than video games, a 2-star TV movie, or social media.

My first Web site is quite simple, a compilation of all of graduate core class syllabi reading lists that I used to study for comps. You can check it out: www.AcademicBib.com and while it's still pretty rough, there's a ton of bibliographic information already posted. What's particularly handy are the links on books to Amazon (it helps to see the book reviews to refresh the memory) or to JSTOR for the research articles. I'm currently posting American Government bibliographies and then International Relations will be next. After that, I'll work on Public Policy. We'll see where it goes from there.

I never thought of computer code as actual writing until I started doing it. Now I know it's a creative endeavor on par with creating stories and memorable characters. It requires much of the same planning, a similar mindset and drive to complete the project. It requires outlining, drafting, rewriting, editing and problem-solving. Building a site raises many of the same questions and doubts as writing a script: "Will people one day appreciate my work?"

But I'll leave the philosophical questions for others to ponder while I continue writing.

#Drinks4Doll -- It's a Party!

If you've spent much time at all with the Twitter screenwriting community, you've come across @DerisiveDoll.  If you've followed Doll's posts in the past few months then you know she's about to move 3000 miles across the country to re-start her life in Los Angeles and pursue the dream we all have of breaking into the business as a professional screenwriter.

We want to help get Doll's journey off to a great start by having a huge going away Twitter party so that our #Scriptchat community and #LoglineFriday faithful can spend some time offering support and best wishes to Doll before she hits the road. 

• Date:  Sunday, March 20, 2011 
• Time:  Immediately following U.S. #Scriptchat (6 p.m. Pacific, 8 p.m. Central and 9 p.m. Eastern)
• Virtual Party Location:  Go to Tweetchat.com and enter the hashtag: #Drinks4Doll. 
• Theme: Surf's Up! Relax in your favorite beachwear.

We have games planned and prizes to give away, so don't be late and don't be shy.  Also, if you'd like to help us get Doll outrageously drunk during the party, please considering "buying" her a drink by clicking: #Drinks4Doll and making PayPal donation. If you don't want to condone drinking, then think of it as a few dollars for gas or a latte. It doesn't have to be much and you don't have to donate to attend, just show up at #Drinks4Doll and party with us.

See you next Sunday at #Drinks4Doll and please help us spread the word on Twitter!

Thanks,
@TheWriteScript and @Tracinell

Pilot: getting ready for take-off

Grad school really impedes my writing. Comprehensive exams are finally over. I now have less than a week to make a few changes to the TV pilot and get it submitted to Scriptapalooza before Friday. Looking forward to having that done and getting the script "out there."

With the first week of TV pilots down and a few more coming up this week, it is already apparent that Hollywood needs a new crop of writers with fresh ideas and a different perspective. Frankly, someone's got to be able to present something that is not a formula-driven cop or lawyer procedural. These rehashed story lines are already old...and these are the new shows. Why can't creatives be more creative? Why do some people believe that the only stories of interest take place among cops, reporters, lawyers and doctors? I know these people...they're not nearly as interesting or exciting as TV makes them out to be. But for some reason, we keep perpetuating these myths.

No worries. I will rescue Hollywood and give you something worth watching and characters you want to spend time with. No cops. No lawyers. No doctors. No journalists.

Promise.

#Scriptchat

I'm a relative newcomer to Twitter. Fortunately, one of the first things I discovered was #scriptchat. Every Sunday there is a EURO chat and a US chat. It has been entertaining and enlightening about scriptwriting, and breaking into the business of writing, for TV and film. For someone like me -- a Hollywood outsider -- it has been priceless.

Tonight's guest host was TV writer/producer Jane Espenson. It is incredible to have a forum where anyone can ask the guest any question and get such honest answers, not just the usual "write" and "you can do it" b.s. It's worth an hour each week or you can read the transcript that's posted on the Scriptchat site the same night. Tonight's chat was progressing so fast, I'll have to read the transcript to pick up all the info I missed.

Whenever I find myself thinking that I'm wasting time on Twitter, all I have to do is remind myself of scriptchat and how much I've learned.

Pilot #1 -- Done

Pilot #1: Done and registered. I have my very first WGA registration number. I feel so...so...registered. Probably the first time I've been happy to be just a number. Yet there's something highly symbolic about having that number. There are those who start to write, and those who finish. I'm a finisher. I got through the marathon called the second act and made it across the line to pick up my number. Lots of starters...fewer finishers. That makes me feel good.

Now onto Pilot #2, f.k.a. the Spike TV script. Going to give it a quick read then come up with a plan of attack to finish it up.

Grad school picks up again way too soon. Dreading the workload and trying to balance all the balls again. Back to insane time management if I expect to have screenwriting time. However, I can ALWAYS find time to do the things I enjoy.

Scripped and Spike TV -- Not for me: Redux

Daniel writes:

I had the same moral dilemma, but if you read even closer, every submission except for the winner retains their rights. I guess just get a good legal team. And if you do win, well at least you get 2k and the bragging rights if they don't let you go further with it.

The Write Script:

Ever hire a lawyer? Let's say you win and want to challenge the legal agreement you acknowledged by taking on Spike TV (owned by Viacom). The retainer alone will be more than $2k. If you manage to win and get, say, the WGA minimum for a 30-min. piece, you won't have much leftover. In fact, you may just lose your house in the gamble as well.

Bragging rights? What's to brag about? I'm a schmuck? I'm so desperate I'm willing to give my work away and allow others to treat me like dirt? Who wants to broadcast that?

I'm glad the deadline has passed and I don't have to think about them any longer. The only moral dilemma here is on the part of the contest sponsors. They now stand for everything that is wrong with the business. I'll broadcast legitimate contests coming up and you can be sure I'll also broadcast which ones I consider bad for writers. But your comment (and thanks for commenting) highlights the attitude that many struggling writers have: desperation. If we weren't all so desperate, so willing to sell ourselves at ANY PRICE (and pay for the opportunity!), these crappy contests would go away.

Remember Walt and "keep moving forward."