Rating: 
Summary: 500 ways to take your money
Review: this book is total garbage. It has no examples to illuminate the points. It is composed of paragraphs, short snipplets of vague generalizations. The author was apparently in such a hurry to make money that she never bothered to unify her ideas into real chapters. In the final analysis, this is more of a book outline rather than a thought out book. Wait for a new edition that actually is written as a book should be.
Rating: 
Summary: The online reviews are more interesting than the book
Review: I expect that I am not alone in being highly amused by the inventiveness of some of the online reviewers for this book, whose acidic sense of humour and satire seems lost on the more sedate minds of others. Might I suggest that 'Sue D'eauymme, 'Steven Spielberg' et al seem to have the making of great comedy screenwriters? It would be interesting if any of their scripts ever came across Jennifer Lerch's desk!The book, incidentally, is a rather average concoction which borrows heavily from other volumes and seems to revel in stating the obvious. There seems little point in reading it unless you are completely in the dark about screenwriting.
Rating: 
Summary: All it takes is one good idea...........
Review: The trouble with a book like this, as some of the negative posts unintentionally illustrate, is that experienced writers will have already been exposed to many of these ideas and may erroneously conclude that the book therefore has no value. To the contrary, all it takes is one or two useful ideas and a book like this pays for itself. Because Lerch breaks her topics down into easily-digested bits, the tips are basic but practical. The strength of the book is that Lerch covers every aspect of a screenplay in terms of character development, plot points, etc. Also I found useful her description of how to handle rejection and what changes to make in a screenplay before re-submitting it. News flash to the negative reviewers: many of her points are almost identical to those in Robert McKee's oft-touted "Story." I'm struck by the juvenile condescension expressed by many of this book's reviewers. I wonder what Lerch has done that makes the reviewers think she deserves this treatment.
Rating:
Summary: This is about me?
Review: Yeah, I'm a reader. Yeah, I'm the guy that Lerch and her exclamation points are trying to help you get past. So naturally, because I'm insanely egotistical and convinced my position in Hollow-wood is amazingly important, I was fascinated to read all about myself and what I like and what I don't like. Don't get me wrong -- I didn't buy the book. I just borrowed it. What would people think if they saw it in my bookshelf? ("Gawd. Is he trying to write a script? I thought he just read them.") So will this book help you write a script that I'll like? Maybe. More likely is that it'll just annoy you. And keep this in mind: ten thousand readers can like your script, but never once has a reader bought a script. It's the development people, the producers, the c.e.'s who cut the checks. So writing for us is shooting a little low, don't you think?
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent format. An excellent book.
Review: I have read some thirty-odd books on screen writing and this is definitely one of the best. Straight forward advice. I really appreciate the format of the book. The tips are listed 1-500. They are concise, to the point, and by subject. It makes an excellent reference.
Rating:
Summary: Buy this book! No, buy several! Then buy another!
Review: Dahlings! Simply had to leave the set for five minutes to tell you haw marvellous this new book is! I'm another of those successful film people - I was color consultant on Schindler's List, Chief Harstylist on Alien 3 and Dialogue Coach for Charlie Chaplin - and I've got simply dozens of screenplays just waiting to hit the big screen! Watch for my Straight to Video series, coming soon! Must recommend this book for its simply unmissable advice! Love the exclamation marks! Can't live without the overstatements. the simlpistic obvious asides and the outdated formulas! This thinking is what makes Hollywood the cultural center of the Universe! Must rush now, but put my cheque in the post, will you? Oh yes, and I gave the book a whole star; that's what you wanted, wasn't it? See you at the Bistro! Buy, buy!
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST TEN BUCKS YOU'LL SPEND THIS YEAR
Review: I am an optioned screenwriter and disagree with the negative posts of this book. If you have written only a screenplay or two, this book will add to your formatting and structure knowledge. If you're just starting out, it will be a valuable reference. The succinct tips kept the book rolling and I personally think it was very much worth my time to read this book. Screenwriters: even if you only learn one or two things you're doing wrong, they may make the difference. Don't let the burnouts posting here detour you from a good source of information. I also suggest reading Flinn's HOW NOT TO WRITE A SCREENPLAY. I read both books in the same week and they compliment each other nicely.
Rating:
Summary: Essential Information Made Simple
Review: As a story editor for a major production company in Hollywood, I would recommend this book highly to budding screenwriters. Ms. Lerch has encapsulated over ten years of experience into under 200 easy-to-understand pages, that impart VERY PRACTICAL advice on getting a reader's recommendation. After reading "500 Ways" you will know to avoid the common mistakes that prejudice a reader before page 10. More advanced writers will still find it a helpful reminder on how to keep each page fresh and engaging. I have not seen any other book that so focusses it's attention on how your script will be read - and judged - at this first critical step on it's ambitious pilgrimage toward the screen.
Rating:
Summary: Fake Book reviews
Review: I have a feeling that many of the reviews posted for this book are, in fact, fake. Call it a hunch, but the 'anonymous' reviews all have the hard-sell feel of a tele-marketing commercial, and somehow don't ring true. There seems to be a lot of this sort of thing going on on the Net these days, and it's very, very, sad.
Rating:
Summary: Readers are a dime a dozen, unfortunately...
Review: The unGodly amount of material in Hollywood is the only reason readers unfortunately exist. A better use of your money might be to purchase 3 or 4 of your favorite screenplays and read them. Look how they are written and use that format. Buy a couple text books on writing for general guidelines. Then take your money and start hitting the streets meeting people. You're best bet is to have an "in" at the place youre pitching your material. Is it a bad book? No. Is it a must have? Absolutely not. A few good pointers, but alot of self-centered, self-important tips that won't make or break your deal. If you have an original idea or a new twist, that may be enough. The best bet is to take that original idea (if there are any left)and punch out a good screenplay. Do your homework, get good honest feedback and don't give up.
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