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Screenwriting for Neurotics: A Beginner's Guide to Writing a Feature-Length Screenplay from Start to Finish
Screenwriting for Neurotics is a quirky and accessible handbook for beginning screenwriters. Whether you are a student in a screenwriting class or just someone who wants to try their hand at writing for film or television, this handy guidebook makes the entire process simple and unintimidating. Scott Winfield Sublett, a veteran screenwriter and screenwriting teacher, walks you step by step from start to finish and helps you navigate potential and unforeseen difficulties along the way, offering handy tips and suggestions to keep you from becoming blocked or stalled.Rather than throwing you into the writing process headfirst, Sublett guides you through the various decisions you need to make—about plot, character, structure, conflict—in the order you need to make them. He explains in straightforward terms the terminology and jargon, the theory and industry standards, and dispels common myths about screenwriting that can discourage or hold back a beginning writer.Balancing theory and practice and offering valuable and insightful examples from recognizable and well-known classic and contemporary films, ranging from Casablanca to A Christmas Story to Clerks, Sublett provides the new writer with the necessary tools to successfully write a feature-length screenplay and offers a roadmap of where to go next. With an emphasis on helping a writer not just to begin, but also to finish a script, Screenwriting for Neurotics is the screenwriting book to help you actually write one.
- GenresWritingNonfiction
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2014
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50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 3, 2014
A rare combination of inspirational and highly practical. Oh, and funny as hell!
The book moves you through creating ideas, structuring the script, writing scenes, developing characters and plot, and revising and selling your script.
His knowledge of cinema shines through. He uses ample examples from films to illustrate his points. His witty, hilarious voice makes reading this book a blast.
I've never written a screenplay, but now I feel ready--and inspired--to start.
The book moves you through creating ideas, structuring the script, writing scenes, developing characters and plot, and revising and selling your script.
His knowledge of cinema shines through. He uses ample examples from films to illustrate his points. His witty, hilarious voice makes reading this book a blast.
I've never written a screenplay, but now I feel ready--and inspired--to start.
March 11, 2015
I should start by saying that this book is the one I have highlighted most on my kindle. It is full of real gems. And the beauty of it is that it applies to more than just screenwriting. It is helping me see the manuscript of my novel in a different way.
Using many examples from well known films (and I think the author likes Casablanca), quotes from Aristotle and occasional exercises, Scott Winfield Sublett provides “A Beginners Guide to Writing a Feature Length Screenplay from Start to Finish” – the subtitle of the book. The main title doesn’t really do the contents justice as writers may not see themselves as neurotic and miss out on an excellent book. With simple nuggets like:-
“(1) the hero’s success or failure in achieving the goal, (2) answering the central question, and (3) the outcome of the central conflict. The goal, central question, and central conflict all need to be posited in the beginning and adhered to throughout the film.”
That’s all there is to it, right? Act I: engage interest. Act II: sustain interest. Act III: satisfy interest. The freedom in the writing is because although you need to know your hero’s goal and the central question, whether he/she achieves the goal or not is worked through in the writing. From the initial idea, and outlining through to how to format the actual script, Sublett takes us by the hand through the whole process.
There are references to many films and excerpts from scripts to illustrate the various stages and there is much humour in here. Every so often there are small “asides” addressed to the “neurotic” writer. This is the only bit of the whole book that doesn’t jibe with me. I’m not sure why but it seems to break up the narrative.
There is much here about introducing conflict and challenges and the value of a good outline. Sublett believes if you have a good outline and know what scenes you need to develop, then it is less likely you will have a major rewrite where you have to cut loads of your beautiful writing – or “kill your darlings”. But he also says that any written script even if never produced helps you learn as a writer. Now and again you should bin the whole effort and start something new that comes out of who you are now and reflects that learning.
I like his quote from French novelist Jules Renard “Writing is a profession in which you have to keep proving your talent to people who have none.” Mr Sublett proves his talent in every section of this book.
Using many examples from well known films (and I think the author likes Casablanca), quotes from Aristotle and occasional exercises, Scott Winfield Sublett provides “A Beginners Guide to Writing a Feature Length Screenplay from Start to Finish” – the subtitle of the book. The main title doesn’t really do the contents justice as writers may not see themselves as neurotic and miss out on an excellent book. With simple nuggets like:-
“(1) the hero’s success or failure in achieving the goal, (2) answering the central question, and (3) the outcome of the central conflict. The goal, central question, and central conflict all need to be posited in the beginning and adhered to throughout the film.”
That’s all there is to it, right? Act I: engage interest. Act II: sustain interest. Act III: satisfy interest. The freedom in the writing is because although you need to know your hero’s goal and the central question, whether he/she achieves the goal or not is worked through in the writing. From the initial idea, and outlining through to how to format the actual script, Sublett takes us by the hand through the whole process.
There are references to many films and excerpts from scripts to illustrate the various stages and there is much humour in here. Every so often there are small “asides” addressed to the “neurotic” writer. This is the only bit of the whole book that doesn’t jibe with me. I’m not sure why but it seems to break up the narrative.
There is much here about introducing conflict and challenges and the value of a good outline. Sublett believes if you have a good outline and know what scenes you need to develop, then it is less likely you will have a major rewrite where you have to cut loads of your beautiful writing – or “kill your darlings”. But he also says that any written script even if never produced helps you learn as a writer. Now and again you should bin the whole effort and start something new that comes out of who you are now and reflects that learning.
I like his quote from French novelist Jules Renard “Writing is a profession in which you have to keep proving your talent to people who have none.” Mr Sublett proves his talent in every section of this book.
December 11, 2016
There's simply no better tool than this book by Scott Sublett on screenwriting. I'm a typical Bay Area techie, and screen writing is something I'd only admired from a distance, never had the courage to take it on. Then I came across this book. The book broke down the process into very simple and easy to remember steps. Scott covers everything in this book, from the idea, the spine, the step outline, to the format, even what to do when you're faced with the daunting task of re-writing. I recommend this book for any aspiring screen writer. It gives you the courage, the tools, the right mindset to take up any screenwriting, be it full feature, stage play, a TV show, or a short. I wrote my first screen play, 'Airport Insecurity', based on my own experience of losing my passport at the Frankfurt airport using everything I learnt from this book. This was my first attempt at writing a full feature screenplay, but this book made it a screenplay that everyone I've shown it to has thoroughly enjoyed it. Naatak, America's biggest Indian theater company, and Bay Area's best for 2 years in a row, has decided to stage a play based on this screen play in Feb/Mar 2017. All because of this book. It has changed my life!
May 21, 2015
I am telling all my writer friends, you need this book! Even if you're not writing screenplays yet, the information in this book will help you with your fiction. This book has it all- from the idea, to how to do the spine and step outline, to the formatting for a screenplay, and even more. There's tips on character, dialogue, and plot, as well as suggestions for the rewrite and also for selling your screenplay. I have never read one book on screenplays that really covered all the bases the way this one does. This is one of those books that I will keep close by and return to often.
*FTC Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
*FTC Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
November 12, 2017
it is a good book for beginners. The distinctive side of this book from other creative writing books is that it is entertaining, the narrator talks to you as if he is your best mate
November 29, 2015
Scott knows what he's talking about, and the way he has organised his information and tips along with personal anecdotes from his teaching experience and references to films (albeit a heavy favouring of classics rather than more modern examples) works well. Once I got past the first few sections, I began to really appreciate the amount of stuff Scott was breaking down for the amateur/neurotic writer. Great title, and apt! This book covers pretty much everything you might want to know about writing a script. Geared towards US writers more than UK writers, but still a great resource for all, though I must admit I am shocked at how pricey it is. I received this book via NetGalley but would not purchase it at this price.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews