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Summary: Useful and Insightful
Review: There are a great many screenwriting books out there but I found this one to be the most practical. If you want to get your script read and to move on past the readers at a production company this book gives you the tools to accomplish that. I found much of what is in this book to be invaluable. The writing is funny and the examples he gives only made my writing better. It is a very helpful book and I keep returning to it as I write. I am truly glad I found this book.
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Summary: The BUSINESS (and REALISTIC) side of screenwriting.
Review: There are many titles out there that have self-proclaimed screenwriting experts instructing you as to what makes a good plot, characterization, etc... While this can be helpful, sometimes the financial basics of the movie industry are overlooked in these books written by career college types.The author, Denny Martin Flinn, has not only written screenplays but was employed for many years by the movie studios to receive and review the thousands of screenplays that are sent in by aspiring writers. In other words, the author was the first person to review scripts and give it the -yes or no-! The author has written a book that explains to beginning screenwriters all the "do's and dont's" of format, marketing, etc. An invaluable piece of material that points out many of the first-time mistakes by beginning screenwriters. A MUST if you are thinking of becoming a freelance movie writer with no training. Common sense advice from a business standpoint. Some of the help provided in this book can prevent your screenplay from being thrown in the trash before the reviewers get past page 2.
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Summary: Excellent information for the budding screenwriter
Review: This book has a lot of useful information that can instantly be applied to works in progress, or any projects that one has in the making. Give it a read, and then look over your work, and then see if you can make any of the improvements suggested in the book. There isn't a lot of "this type of plot sells" or "you should write about this", most of the advice tends to be concerned with structure. A great help to any beginner, and a useful reference for a seasoned writer.
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Summary: Why not use "beats"?
Review: This book has a lot of useful information, but some of it I had to question, especially Mr. Flinn's advice about not using "beats". Take a look at the screenplay for The Sixth Sense... it has abundant use of the dreaded "beat" word. And this was probably one of the most sought after (and best written) screenplay's to hit Hollywood in the last few years. I'd be curious to hear if Mr. Flinn would care to modify his advice about "beats".
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Summary: Anyone can tell you what to do...
Review: This book is one of few I've read about screenwriting that isn't bogged down with a premium on overbearing structure. It simply suggests that, if we all are storytellers, one of the most valuable lessons one can learn is to tell YOUR story YOUR way and to omit elements you disliked in other stories you've read, seen or heard in the past. The book validates many of the triumphs you might have made in your own work while making clear (OK, sometimes ridiculing) areas where you may have missed the mark. While I would definitely call this book humorously sarcastic, I didn't find it cynical at all. I've given the book as gifts to many friends.
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Summary: Horrible book
Review: This book is the biggest waste of money and trees. The author uses an angry tone throughout. Don't be fooled by that. He's not an authority on the subject. His advice range from the very obvious to the simply stupid. Some of the information he gives is plain wrong and could lead any inexperienced writer to commit many great errors. Avoid it like the plague.
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Summary: the best book an aspiring screenwriter can buy
Review: This is a terrific book. If only every beginning reader had this book, there wouldn't be so many bad screenplays. It tells you what not to do and, more important, why not.
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Summary: A Review from ScreenStyle.com - The Screenwriters Store
Review: This is an excellent book that provides a very able "checklist" of things to avoid or eliminate as you write your script. It's amazing how one little mistake can really doom all your hard work.
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Summary: The amatuer screenwriter's Bible
Review: This was required reading in my screenwriting course. I could easily see why the minute I started my reading. This book was a phenominal help to me!
The greatest part of this book is that it is so easy to read. On the bus, in the bathtub, during class - it doesn't take too much brainpower to understand, and Denny Flinn makes it simple to understand his points without breaking away from his writing. He tells you how to format your page and what not to say in your scene descriptions. He uses scripts actually donated to him or real-life movie scripts as better examples (the scripts for "Dr. Strangelove," "Blade Runner," and the pre-production "Alien versus Predator" are cited, to name a few). While some tips are obvious (no grammatical errors) others are common mistakes (do not put "continued" at the bottom of your page, as Flinn says on page 22 "anyone reading your screenplay who doesn't know he's supposed to turn the page is a numskull")
I noticed many errors I myself had made writing scripts. I'm thankful that before I enter into the professional world I had read this book. I would suggest other ambitious writers get this book. Even if you've already written a screenplay, believe me there is still so much you can learn.
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Summary: The how-not-to book to measure all the other how-to's by
Review: Until I read this book, I wasn't even sure I knew what I was doing when I wrote screenplays. This book made me realize just exactly what I was doing right and wrong, so my confidence in my own writing sky-rocketed! I would suggest reading The Screenwriter's Bible first, then this book. In addition, I suggest reading any script written by James Cameron and John Hughes. Flinn gives you a thorough understanding of all the "do's" and "don'ts" which no one else quite does. It's very helpful to know what not to do and what to do instead.
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