Books

Here’s a list of books I’ve gone to for ideas on writing. I pick up one or more of them when I’m working on a script, if I think something inside the book will help me make the script better.

What I recommend (and recommend for myself) is to read these books as if you’re having a discussion with the author about writing or film-making or acting. They may know more about the subject in question and have more experience, but it should still be a discussion. I suggest you don’t go to these books (or any books on writing) to learn rules that you must follow. My personal opinion is that doing so will ultimately limit you as a writer.

Having said that, there are some awesome things to learn, consider, or be reminded of in the books listed. These writers have been writing and thinking about writing for years and have shared their insights in these books. And I love them for it.

The Books:

Let’s start with one that says it’s about film-making, but spends most of the book talking about story and ways to write film scripts — which is in fact film-making or should be (in your head at the very least).

On Film-Making: An Introduction to the Craft of the Director. By Alexander Mackendrick.

This is one of my favorites. Mackendrick directed for many years, and then taught for twenty-five years at CalArts. Among the films he directed are: The Man in the White Suit, The Ladykillers, and Sweet Smell of Success, the last of which was shot by the great cinematographer, James Wong Howe. So, Mackendrick knows a little something about film-making. This book is basically the result of his teachings over those twenty-five years.

The first part of the book, really the majority of the book, is about what he calls dramatic construction. It has great analysis and ideas about story and writing. I highly recommend this book.

ANOTHER favorite:

Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft by Janet Burroway.

I have the 2nd edition. I know she’s come out with a newer edition recently. Get the new edition, get the old edition or get it used. But I highly recommend this book.

It is, as the title indicates, not focused on script writing, but she is great at writing about story, conflict, want, character … and many other aspects of telling a good story.

My copy is filled with underlined text, and re-underlined text that’s been highlighted.

LET ME ADD another book that I find helpful for script writing that isn’t directly about script writing:

The Intent to Live: Achieving Your Potential As An Actor, by Larry Moss.

This book covers a lot of things we should be doing as writers, but from the actors perspective — objectives, wants, obstacles, stakes, etc. And there’s something about thinking about these things from the actor’s perspective that really brings it home for me. For one thing, it reminds you that objectives, wants, obstacles, stakes, etc aren’t just for protagonists and antagonists, these things are for all your characters.

This book is a serious, down-to-business book on acting with a lot of heart and compassion. Because it’s a book on acting it might not be for everyone, but I think for the writer there are some real gems in it.