Rating: 
Summary: Like Therapy, and a must read for all novelists
Review: Someone once said that 5 minutes with a good friend, is worth 2 hours with a therapist. If that's true, then Max Adams's book, is worth a year of Therapy. First it reads like a "chat with a friend"...a friend who has been there, done that, and written about it. And it inspires, and clears the air, and teaches. I also think this book is a must read for Novelists who hope to have their movie made, or anyone who can't understand how a screenwriter can get a reported half million deal, and end up broke. Max explains the money deal in clear detail. And unlike the other reviewer who "derides" Max for advertising...I applaud her for it!!! She's a go getter, and a Giver. (As in the wonderful advice she gives on her website to those who are in no position to give her anything in return)I say, buy this book! It's much cheaper than therapy anyway.
Rating:
Summary: Like Therapy, and a must read for all novelists
Review: Someone once said that 5 minutes with a good friend, is worth 2 hours with a therapist. If that's true, then Max Adams's book, is worth a year of Therapy. First it reads like a "chat with a friend"...a friend who has been there, done that, and written about it. And it inspires, and clears the air, and teaches. I also think this book is a must read for Novelists who hope to have their movie made, or anyone who can't understand how a screenwriter can get a reported half million deal, and end up broke. Max explains the money deal in clear detail. And unlike the other reviewer who "derides" Max for advertising...I applaud her for it!!! She's a go getter, and a Giver. (As in the wonderful advice she gives on her website to those who are in no position to give her anything in return) I say, buy this book! It's much cheaper than therapy anyway.
Rating:
Summary: Unless you'd rather not survive
Review: The first time I went to Hollywood I went without Max. It will never happen again. This isn't the only way to approach Hollywood, but it's a rock solid one.
Rating:
Summary: Want to be a screenwriter? Buy this book. Now.
Review: There are lots of books -- maybe too many -- out there that claim to teach you how to write. That claim to teach you how to sell. That claim to teach you how to gain access to Hollywood and have a successful career. The majority of them don't deliver. Max Adams, however, has done just what the title says: written a survival guide for screenwriters. This book is full of hard-won knowledge handed over as a magnanimous gift -- to help you get read, get an agent, get produced, and above all, stay sane. It doesn't give you a set of rules, it doesn't promise things will be easy, but it is honest, optimistic and indespensible. (And funny to boot.) It focuses on the business of show business, a subject largely neglected and which most new writers are completely clueless about. This book is like having a best friend who seems to know everything and always keeps you from making huge mistakes. If you haven't ordered this book and you seriously want to make a living screenwriting, then do it, right now. This is your map. Use it wisely.
Rating: 
Summary: not so hot
Review: this book certainly addresses many of the issues that aspiring screenwriters are interested in, focusing as it does on many of the business aspects of being a screenwriter.
there are about 150 books in print which focus on how to write a screenplay, or how not to write a screenplay, or how to beat the hollywood script reader (i assume you don't do it with a baseball bat), and there are three, that i'm aware of, that deal, from the screenwriter's point of view, with the business of making movies in hollywood -- and two of them are very good books by william goldman.
here is the third.
unfortunately, max adams' book is not so very good. it's okay. it does offer some good information to the completely clueless -- when driving in la, drive with a map book. that's sound advice, but i'd like to think that if you're old enough to drive and capable of obtaining a driver's license, you don't need to be told that having a map book in an unfamilair city is a good idea. you are also advised to bring your own pillows if staying at a hotel, carry fix-a-flat with you in your trunk, to have breath mints so your breath isn't yucky, not to wet your pants in a meeting, and to bring snacks in case you need food and don't have time for a full-on meal.
wading through that kind of crap is rather annoying. is it bad advice? no, i guess not. but i hope to god that, if you're an adult, it's unnecessary advice.
the other annoying thing about the book? is max adams' constant use of question marks? placed for some unknown reason? in the middle of declarative sentences.
now, okay, that stuff aside, is there good stuff in the book? sure. nothing groundbreaking, but there is information that goes beyond what common sense will tell you, information you might not have unless you've spent a week or two in los angeles.
unfortunately, in my opinion, it isn't really worth wading through all the useless crap and the annoying syntax in order to find it.
Rating:
Summary: A Must For the Serious Screenwriter
Review: This book is a must for intermediate and advanced writers. If you know the basics before you read, this book will be a ray of light that can save you months and years of struggle. It reads fast. Has depth. Feels like you're getting a pep talk from your big sister. Enjoy. I did. This is not a manual on how to write. It's not a book on structure. It won't be what a brand new "newbie" will need. This book will be most useful to a screenwriter that's already read a book or two on story structure (Field, McKee, Campbell, or, my favorite, Seger), knows the basics of format (Trottier, Cole/Haag), and has written a MINIMUM of one screenplay. What will it do? It'll give you experience. It doesn't say don't do this and don't do that. It says think before you do this and here's why. It touches on parantheticals, overwriting, and other writing minefields. It focuses on methods of querying, who to avoid and the danger signs when sending out your work (BIG "NEW" POINT: learn this, understand it, live it), reading fees and the various services, the competition route into Hollywood, how to submit work, and provides opinions on the usefulness of various resources. Unlike other books of the "how to sell" sort, it comes from a writer that's sold in the '90s and not the 1890's. Hollywood changes fast. Most importantly, it tells you what to do after you get sold. Other books cover "how to write" or "how to sell", but this book tells you what to do after you sell. That's rare. Mentioning the career of a screenwriter and not making a quick buck? Wow. For you that want a writing career, this is a gem. So many other books figure you'll figure it out as you go along. Well, if you don't like pain and wasted time, this books for you. Also, in answer to the SINGLE negative review, most writers are aware that you shouldn't judge a writer by the resulting movie. In this case, "Excess Baggage". Read the script. It's amazing. It's the reason it got sold. Forget the film. Enjoy the script. Any comparisons to Syd Field or other gurus reveals the level of the writer -- brand new. It will help the brand new writer. However, that's not the intended audience. This for those who are serious about their dreams. I hope this helps in your decision to pick up a delightful read.
Rating: 
Summary: Read only if you're interested in the Hollywood / US scene
Review: This concentrates on the Hollywood scene and how to get your script sold in the US so most of it wasn't relevant to me, being Australian. There wasn't very much on how to actually write screenplays so I'd skip this if that's what you're after and read some different books. The most useful thing I found was the stuff about how to write query letters and dealing with producers, while it may be a little different from the Aus. scene, I imagine some things are the same everywhere (ie people are too busy to read your script). So if you're not American and don't intend working in America, only a small portion of this book will be relevant to you but if you want an entertaining insight into the Hollywood scene, it's worth a look.
Rating:
Summary: Useful Resource for Screenwriters
Review: This is an honest book. The author is clear and humorous in her delivery, and the information is very helpful. (I see that another reviewer gave this book one star and proceeded to descend into his/her own juvenile rant. That person is clearly ill-intentioned and not trying to provide you with a useful review. It is the sort of mean-spirited review that probably should be ignored.) The work is actually a quick read and gives a view of Hollywood through the eyes of someone who has been there. The author has strong opinions about the Hollywood experience and is not afraid to share them. I found that sorting through the author's stories and insights for useful information was fruitful. Many of her warnings would have been helpful a year ago, frankly--I've run into some of the same damn things. Besides, hearing about the experiences of other screenwriters is always useful. And when it's relayed honestly, it's extra-useful. So, what you have here is an extra-useful book. Read it if you're looking to break in. Consider it along with other recommended reading on Hollywood screenwriting. It's only one viewpoint among several, sure, but it's one that provides answers to a lot of questions that I'm certain writers other than me have been puzzling over. Thanks. ps: I read it in a few hours on a plane to Vegas and back. Now that's a good, quick read.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: This is the best book on marketing a screenplay I've ever read. A roll your sleeves up down and dirty get-out-there-and-get-read manual that tells you what to do and, maybe more importantly, what not to do, to get your script through Hollywood doors. I wish it had been around when I started out. It would have saved me a lot of hard learned lessons.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: This isn't a book about writing the script. It's about what happens after the script is written. The chapters on pitching and mogul-speak alone are worth the price. Good book. Read it.
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