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Rating: 
Summary: A must-read for aspiring screenwriters
Review: "The Screenwriting Life" is an excellent, well-organized primer that dispels many romantic notions of what it takes to achieve success as a screenwriter in Hollywood today. Rich's insightful interviews with some of the leading creative forces in the entertainment industry reinforce the point that good writing alone is not enough. "The Screenwriting Life" is an indispensable guide to the political realities of Hollywood.
Rating: 
Summary: Expanded synopsis provided by author
Review: I edit and produce the UCLA newsletter, Fade In, and for overfiveyears have used it as an excuse to interview Hollywood insiders and through them reveal how the system actually works--the politics. After all, Hollywood i s a business first and foremost and art second. And any successful businessperson knows that getting ahead is far more about playing politics than being the best craftsperson, or in this case the best screenwriter. Through interviews, I delve into the gambit of screenwriting environments: TV drama series, sitcoms, animation, low and high budget features, and etc. I interviewed leading writers, producers, directors, professors, literary agents, actors, etc. and divided the research into categories. For example , I have a chapter on Writing for a Dramatic Series: "Star Trek." For this chapter I interviewed Jeri Taylor (co-creator/executive producer of "Voyager"), Robert Wolfe (staff writer on "Deep Space 9"), Jean Louise Matthias (freelance writer), and Michael Mack & Clifford Wong (writing interns). Through them I got an insider's view of pitching, and developing a story ideaM-^Ebasically the writing process for the show. And since the writing process for Star Trek is similar to that on any other drama series you gain an understanding of how you can adjust your writing and pitching t o get better results. My approach to the interviews is also very different than any other interview book or magazine I have read. After transcribing an interview I had the interviewee do a once-over to improve it--make it clear, amplify, o r even add--and that's what I worked with. From there I'd extensively rewrit e the interview to clean it up even more. Then I read all the chapter interviews over and over and over until I had a clear sense of a beginning, middle, and end to the overall information-a logical order. Chapters resulted from pulling out bits and pieces from the interviews to tell the overall story. So the chapters develop out of some 250-300 pages of transcribed interviews condensed to 30-50 page chapters-a lot of punch in a few pages.
Rating:
Summary: Get this book
Review: I haven't had a chance to read it, but I met the guy when he did a presentation at our school. I want to be a screenwriter, so I found him very interesting. I can't wait to read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Direct Hit! Outstanding resource for writers.
Review: Rich Whiteside is a fellow UCLA family member so I do hold some bais. He is a rare talent and a quiet professional who focuses on results rather than ego. He is a man of character. "The Screenwriting Life" is an unflinching look into the reality of what it is like to trade daydreams for dollars. Being a working screenwriter in Hollywood I thought I had a little bit of insight. This book cleared up the fog and sharpened my approach. If you ever get a chance to meet the author, first thank him for serving our fine United States in his former career as one of our country's elite. Secondly, thank him for making you a better screenwriter through awarness and truth. I surely will.
Rating:
Summary: Direct Hit! Outstanding resource for writers.
Review: Rich Whiteside is a fellow UCLA family member so I do hold some bais. He is a rare talent and a quiet professional who focuses on results rather than ego. He is a man of character. "The Screenwriting Life" is an unflinching look into the reality of what it is like to trade daydreams for dollars. Being a working screenwriter in Hollywood I thought I had a little bit of insight. This book cleared up the fog and sharpened my approach. If you ever get a chance to meet the author, first thank him for serving our fine United States in his former career as one of our country's elite. Secondly, thank him for making you a better screenwriter through awarness and truth. I surely will.
Rating:
Summary: Direct Hit! Outstanding resource for writers.
Review: Rich Whiteside is a fellow UCLA family member so I do hold some bais. He is a rare talent and a quiet professional who focuses on results rather than ego. He is a man of character. "The Screenwriting Life" is an unflinching look into the reality of what it is like to trade daydreams for dollars. Being a working screenwriter in Hollywood I thought I had a little bit of insight. This book cleared up the fog and sharpened my approach. If you ever get a chance to meet the author, first thank him for serving our fine United States in his former career as one of our country's elite. Secondly, thank him for making you a better screenwriter through awarness and truth. I surely will.
Rating:
Summary: Get this book
Review: This book doesn't get bogged down in the authors own ideas about careers. Instead, he offers insightful interviews with many people in the different screenwriting fields. Sitcoms, longform, and feature writing interviews convey the life and experiences of their respective areas and helps the reader decide if that is truly an area they want to enter. All the interviews suggests what avenues may give new writers the best start into that area.
Rating:
Summary: Great screenwriting career primer!
Review: This book doesn't get bogged down in the authors own ideas about careers. Instead, he offers insightful interviews with many people in the different screenwriting fields. Sitcoms, longform, and feature writing interviews convey the life and experiences of their respective areas and helps the reader decide if that is truly an area they want to enter. All the interviews suggests what avenues may give new writers the best start into that area.
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