500 Ways to Beat the Hollywood Script Reader: Writing the Screenplay the Reader Will Recommend

by Jennifer Lerch

So you want to write a movie! You could consult Robert McKee's influential Story, Syd Field's rather schematic Screenplay, which extrapolates lessons from famous films, or novelist-turned-screenwriter Meg Wolitzer's literate Fitzgerald Did It, inspired by her own experience. But the script you pour your soul into won't be read by a single soul you've ever heard of. If a star or mogul reads anything about your story, it will be in the form of "coverage," a brief report reducing your screenplay to a one-sentence summary, with a very few pages of synopsis and ratings of your characters, dialogue, and plot. That report is written by a Hollywood reader, who is likely to be a smart woman desperate to find something she can recommend to her boss--someone like Jennifer Lerch. If her eyes glaze over, you're dead.Your eyes won't glaze over reading Lerch's 500 brisk mini-lessons. How many pages can you turn in? Not over 120. How crucial are the first 30 pages? Utterly. How many big, climactic moments do you need in those 30 pages? Two. How many scenes do you need in the dramatic opening sequence? Three to five. How many parenthetical comments directly addressed to the reader can you include? One or two per script. How about your favorite passages, where you plumb your characters' inner depths? Throw them "If the character doesn't say it, wear it, or do it, delete it." How do pros write? "Staccato. Economical." That's how Lerch writes. And if you want to get anywhere in Hollywood, you'll have to please someone just like her. Know your enemy--and make her your best friend. --Tim Appelo

Genres: Writing, Reference, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published July 13, 1999

Reviews

[Jay Amari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This simplistic approach to script writing could best be summarized as "Write at An Eighth-Grade Level Because You're Writing for Morons".
It's the lowest common denominational way to write for the pictures and MAYBE get your script through the myriad maze of labyrinthine arbitrary process called the Hollywood Movie -Making Machine.
Okay, that is a little harsh, and author Jennifer Lerch does a fantastic job boiling down how readers look at screenplays when they are directed to write coverage for a possible feature film. And she owns up to the fact that the process is not fair to intelligent readers with literate minds and experience, but this is a specific animal, the screenplay, and she clearly explicates how to get the thing structured so it will appeal to a reader and producer.
Separated into convenient little numbered sections for the addle-minded screenwriter, the book is a refreshing take on the craft.

[Mark Marinovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend 500 Ways to screenwriters who are just starting out or old hands who may be in need if a good refresher course. It's full of valuable screenwriting fundamentals and insights and crystallizes best practices for preparing your script for submission. I've written many screenplays so for me it was a breezy reminder of the do's and don't's of screenwriting. If you're just starting out, dive into relevant sections as you proceed with your script. 500 ways is conveniently organized in sequential sections that mirror industry standard screenplay format. It also includes helpful tips throughout for fixing issues or breathing new life into a stale script. 500 Ways is a fast and absorbing read. Jennifer Lerch is obviously a seasoned professional and any screenwriter can benefit from her book.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Needed this a few years ago and found this book full of useful gems for anyone into writing scripts or in case you are just curious. Still have it on my shelf. A riveting read? Not quite, but a very useful book.

[Alina Yasnaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book that every screenwriter should read. There is a handful of essential ones, and this is definitely part of that pack.

[J.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went through and highlighted everything I do wrong in my own screenwriting. Then I usually breeze through the highlighted parts again before starting something new, and when I feel like I might be doing something wrong. The tips are short and to the point, but incredibly useful, especially to be able to remind yourself of your own writing problems with such ease.