Write Screenplays that Sell: The Ackerman Way

by Hal Ackerman

You don't have to attend film school to take a screenwriting course with the master teacher in the field ― it's all in his book! Meet Hal Ackerman, up close and personal, just as hundreds of his students have known him through the years.

Hal Ackerman offers a treasure trove of information on the writing of quality, saleable screenplays by teaching the art of story structure, substance and style.

Over the last quarter century, dozens of screenplays written in his classes have been sold and several have become films, including ones starring Tom Hanks (directed by Steven Spielberg), Gwyneth Paltrow, Christian Bale, Hilary Swank and Diane Lane. They have won accolades in many prestigious contests and have been the gateway scripts to writing jobs in feature films and TV including HBO, Showtime, TNT, OWN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Disney, and more.

With this book every professional writer gets a lifetime collaborator and every aspiring writer has a teacher in residence on his or her shelf.

*Newly Revised and Updated edition featuring Pose, Moonlight, La La Land, Juno, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, among others.

*Top-selling screenwriting book for almost 20 years -- 20th Anniversary Edition

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Film

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2003

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, this is a book only for those hearty souls that are serious about learning how to write screenplays. Are you ready to learn the old-fashioned way? By planting your butt in a chair and writing? Then block out some time and sit down and start working your way through this book. Aside from Ackerman's kick-ass authorial tone—he's the co-chair of the UCLA screenwriting program, after all—this book abounds with exercises. Each chapter ends with a section called Writer's Gym Exercises and in the later half of the book you'll find in-chapter Adrenaline Exercises that will challenge you to take your craft up several levels.

In the book's early chapters Ackerman provides a bunch of practical advice on how to make sure your screenplay isn't deselected because it doesn't look, feel, and read the way screenplays are supposed to. No matter how good the story, you have to nail the do and don'ts, and Ackerman shows how to do just that. In the middle part of the book you get schooled on screenplay structure, and here Ackerman introduces his unique device for laying out the three-act structure: the Scenogram. He also guides you through the use of scene cards.

The middle section is where Ackerman lays out his dictum that Scene = Conflict. With Chapter 12: Dancing the Wadoogee (What does the character want and what does the character do to get it?) Ackerman digs into scenes, beginning with a contract, which the screenwriter must sign, to put conflict into every scene. The discussion here focuses on reconciling writer objectives and character objectives, plus a ton of do and don't advice designed to keep you locked in on creating great scenes. In Chapter 13: The Components of Scene Writing, Ackerman takes up the practical topics of Writing Character Descriptions, Describing Place, Writing Narrative Action, and Writing Dialogue. For writers of literary fiction who are attempting a screenplay, this chapter is essential reading to get your head into the right game.

I could go on . . . it's a great and inspiring book on the craft of screenwriting. Get it and then get your butt in the chair and write!

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES.

Simply, yes.

I was disappointed when I read Story by McKee, atop his high horse he spouts absolute nonsense about the absolute importance of perfection in screenwriting, in being new and original... in being the unattainable but for few.

Hal Ackerman slices through the bullshit. This book is incredibly powerful in that it is incredibly empowering. He shows that hardwork begets talent and the opportunity is there for anyone willing to take a chance.

This book has sat on my shelf for years. I was on a trip to the States when I stumbled upon this screenwriting bookshop in LA (what a surprise). I gravitated towards this book, perhaps the gold cover drew my magpie eyes. Having already written 3 terrible screenplays, this was my shot at the big time. Full of hope it followed me. It sat on my shelf when I was living in a mining camp, in a room where not enough writing was being done. In a room where one fell night I woke in a stupor, forgetting to take 3 steps to the toilet... pissed all over my bookshelves.

And now this piss stained book, and it's little adventure, will continue to be by my side as I write and write and write. I don't know if I'll be able to take Vienna.

But I'll fucking try.

[Mark Klempner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book to reread multiple times if you are interested in screenwriting or, really, any kind of writing that involves storytelling. The only thing that is not excellent about it is the title—probably the publisher decided it would sell more copies with this mercenary title, but the content is bedrock solid from an artistic as well as commercial point of view, and the writing is both lively and literate. Ackerman's book was recommended to me by another UCLA professor, Richard Walter, who has his own book out, Essentials of Screenwriting: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film and Television Writing. I figured that if he considered this book a standout, I would too—and I do.

[Loni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book, but I did have a few problems with it. It stresses a three act story line too much--there are lots of successful films that don't follow it exactly. It's good guideline though and definitely worth thinking about. My other issue was that most of his examples were movies I've never seen like The Godfather so I couldn't really follow him very well. Besides that, I learned a bunch about setting up story lines and scenes. If you're interested in screenplays, this is a good one to check out of the library, but I don't think you need to buy it.

[Joseph McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great craft book for both screenwriting AND fiction writing. My book is marked up with notes, underlined passages, highlighted material and sticky tabs. Tons of great advice and suggestions. Very helpful and written conversationally. No heavy theory or boring soapbox chatter.

I'll use this for my writing as well as in the classroom for creative writing.

Great book to have on the shelf!

[Adrienna · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is very technical, useful in some aspects, but for new screenplay writers can be over the top. This is recommended for those already familiar with screenwriting. He shows how scenogram can look based on his past projects and terminology that I wrote most of them down. I just want it to outline and make it plain and simple. But this is Ackerman's methods.

[Ke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book's comprehensive approach and its suggestions for writing exercises.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly readable, chock full of good tips for structure that applies to any type of writing.

[Jennifer Marshburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another great writing guide and is written very much like I would imagine Mr. Ackerman would run one of his classes. Again, great writing exercises!