Writing is Rewriting (and selling) (Raindance Writer's Lab: Write + Sell the Hot Screenplay - Elliot Grove)

Member Name: LaptopAcidX

Product:	Raindance Writer's Lab: Write + Sell the Hot Screenplay - Elliot Grove
Date:	26/06/09 (21 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Practical, informative, honest view of the industry.

Disadvantages: A bit light on the mystical art of rewriting.

Raindance Writers' Lab Write and Sell the Hot Screenplay

There are many thousands of books telling you how to write a screenplay, a fairly complex process because of the seemingly strange conventions that have sprung up and died out over the years. Whilst it's not rocket science these rules of the game need to be adhered to if you want to be taken seriously as a screenwriter. Even then, writing the screenplay is the easy part.

Where Write and Sell the Hot Screenplay differs from the other books is that it is split into two sections, the first detailing screenwriting theory and practice, the second section of the book is concerned with selling a screenplay. This latter task is where it becomes hard going for most aspiring writers but Hot Screenplay goes into considerable detail about the dark and mysterious realties of the business.

As well as established theory on story structure and character development, there is lots of useful practical information on how to come up with a story, plan it out, write it and develop the characters. There are examples of the various documents and tools you can use to do this and templates of these are available as downloadable online resources.

I was half way through my first screenplay when I got this book (after considerable research) and basically went back to the beginning and started again. I thought I knew about screenplays this showed me I didn't and as a result I have improved and refined my style but more importantly I've come up with a workable and incremental business plan to embark on a career as a writer.

The book is well written in a friendly and conversational style which demonstrates author Elliot Grove's passion for film and knowledge of the industry but more importantly allows for the important points to be made clearly and easily. That said the book pulls no punches on the vagaries of the film industry and the difficulty of selling a screenplay and makes it perfectly clear that it's down to you the writer to do the hard work.

This is the only screenwriting book I've come across that lives up to it's claims, because it makes it clear that it's you the screenplay writer and you the screenplay seller that will be doing all the work.

Summary: If you only buy one screenwriting book etc etc