Teach Yourself Screenwriting

by Raymond G. Frensham

Many readers dream of seeing their stories on the silver screen, but most do not know how to write a screenplay, let alone get their script into the right hands. For those readers wanting the "how-tos" of Hollywood, Teach Yourself Screenwriting is an easy-to-comprehend yet thorough introduction to this art. Here they will get the basics and advice on how to get their work onto celluloid. . . This book covers the techniques and specialized skills used in writing for this visual medium and answers the practical questions often asked by budding screenwriters. .

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Film

310 pages, Paperback

First published February 11, 1997

Reviews

[Ashlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously a little dated (most of the referential websites are non existant anymore), but very good — to the point, lays everything out — no BS. And even the film recommendations aren’t necessarily 21st century favorites, I loved learning about old classics that are still standing the test of time (Goodwill Hunting, Talented Mr. Ripley, Tootsie). I walked away with a full list of general reminders and a new films to check out.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best screen writing books out there. Where Syd Field only skims the surface this book goes in step by step section by section page by page of the script. Raymond has it down to a science.

[R.J. Spruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may have to buy a copy of this as I have written copious notes and still want to go back to it.

My favourite quote would have to be
“A good writer is not someone who knows how to write - but how to rewrite.” William Goldman

[Na Ccino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really useful

[Umi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful if you are looking for an in-depth look at the basics. Made me realise I knew more about this than I thought and halfway through I was like, what was I even expecting to get from this? I should just start writing.

[Derek Boyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book in Waterstones in Maidstone, in the late 90's and in 1999/2000 it became my bible in writing my first feature-length screenplay. I was 27 at the time and spend a year writing in a barn cottage in Wembury near Plymouth.

I followed this book to the page and as a result have retained so much of what it taught me. The third and final draft I completed in that year, I was immensely proud of at the time. In reality though, it was never going to get funded, but it was a great lesson in discipline. Since then I've written quite a few more screenplays - shorts and features and I still reference this book for help from time to time.

I have not heard anyone else talk highly of it, probably because it has been drowned out by the hundreds of screenwriting books that have been published over the years. To that end I would say it's highly underrated and recommend anyone new to screenwriting to buy a copy. It tells you everything you need to know in a neat, concise and logical structure, all that is left, is your own determination and a hell of a lot of practice.

Finally, my general advice to anyone who wants to know what is the best book on screenwriting, is to read them all. Decide what elements from each book work for you and then build your own bespoke routine and philosophy to writing.

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 4 out of 5]

2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.

Final Score: 3.5/5





Original Review:



A straightforward, no-nonsense and no-sentimentality book on how to write scripts. And how to write stories period.

'Teach Yourself Screenwriting' was my first scriptwriting book, and one that taught me that the craft of writing has to be polished and perfected over a long development duration in order to gain acknowledgement, just like every form of craft - you can't achieve goals by talent alone. Having an imagination is great, however you learn by DOING. Breaking the rules is fine as long as you know what those rules are to begin with.

It's harsh, but true. Learning and doing something to achieve your dreams should invigorate your creative spirit, not crush it due to "reality". For that reason - along with its information about plot and character archetypes, and famous, helpful quotes - 'Teach Yourself Screenwriting' gets four stars from me.

Final Score: 4/5

[Trey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is obviously geared towards those people just starting out in their pursuit of a screenwriting career, probably college students, definitely people younger than I am. So that makes it a little weird when Frensham gets to explaining how useful the Internet can be, and starts treating the reader like an octogenarian without a computer (On search engines: "Just enter into the window something like Barbarella screenplay or Gattaca script, hit the search button and see what you get. It's hard to go wrong with Google." On using eBay: "Just enter into the search box the title of the script you are seeking, add Screenplay or Script or Teleplay, hit the button and see what you get.").

But before you get to the probably outdated links and Internet advice, there's a pretty decent couple hundred pages detailing how to work with layouts, frameworks, and structures, and how to think about characters, conflicts, and emotions. Frensham takes you through the whole process, from brainstorming to working with agents, so it's an interesting and worthwhile read if you don't really know anything about the process.

[Susannah Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant for writing novels!
I bought the original copy of this over a decade ago in the vague hope that I could write screenplays - I was kidding myself. I've always been a writer of novels and always will be. I studied this very carefully when writing my first few screenplays and then, when I abandoned that idea, began using it to structure my novels instead. For this, I found it absolutely brilliant and amazingly, after all these years, I STILL use it! It really focuses my ideas and gets me to look at the whole story. By the time I start writing a novel, I know the story well enough to feel confident I can get through the next 300 pages without falling down, but not so well that all the spark has gone out of it. My ancient copy is falling to pieces now and I'm gobsmacked to find that the original edition sells for over £500 on Amazon. Other reviewers seem to have found it too simplistic - I've found it comprehensive enough for me to write four immensely complex novels consecutively without once losing the plot. A great help.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ray Frensham's guide to screenwriting encompasses everything one needs to know before sitting down in front of the computer or with a pad of paper and a pencil. He explains how to adapt fictional material for a screenplay or how to give life to an original idea. He also includes exercises such as watching films and critiquing them.

The difficult subjects of character development and story structure are thoroughly covered. You put the book down after reading just a chapter and feel as though you could write a screenplay that day. Frensham also includes suggested reading at the end of each chapter and a plethora of websites (some no longer functional, however) for writers to market their work.

[Dpg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good compendium that covers the essentials including the all-important accepted industry standards for formatting the document (a serious neglect in many other books -- they just ASSume you know, I guess); characterization and plotting; the professional tasks of pitching, marketing, copyright and representation.

If you're looking for one book that covers it all, soups to nuts, this is as good any, better than most.

[Tom Sutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I own this book and over the last few years I've read and reread it, and both appreciated and lamented the simple advice. Sometimes of I am struggling with some aspect of a story, it has concise advice and tips on how to get through. If the problem is more complex, more obscure, I might feel like Frensham is coming up short when I can't find a good pointer. The problem, usually, is me. All, in all, not a bad desk manual on how to get through a screenplay.

[Nik Havert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book on the basics of screenwriting. It covers everything from formatting to where the beats of the story need to fall in terms of page count and time of the film. The most valuable lesson is one of the first: You are writing to impress and get your screenplay past the initial readers (unpaid interns, assistants, etc.) so it can get into the hands of producers, actors, and directors.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first scriptwriting book I've read so I have little to compare it to, but I found it very useful. I confess to skimming over the chapters on structure, as they were far too in-depth and technical for me, but I enjoyed the parts about character development and risk. A good introduction.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use this book all the time. It discusses archetypes in screenwriting, which I think are just as easily applicable in fiction. The almost medical approach sounds hackneyed, but it helps keep storytelling in perspective, and gives some good advice about how to keep things real and focused.