Achieve your screenwriting goal

The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 3rd Edition (Christopher Vogler)

Once upon a time.... This book traces the essence of storytelling thousands of years and identifies the basic building blocks of all lasting stories. And why do you need to know that? Well, if what worked thousands of years ago remains true today, you, the writer, owe it to your audience to understand these basics. Beyond that, this book and its principles are required reading in Hollywood, so if you want to succeed there you need to start here.

Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting (Robert McKee)

This is the first book I recommend to friends who ask me, "what's the best screenwriting book to get?" You will find this book on the shelves of numerous Oscar- and Emmy-award winning writers. And upon reading it yourself, you will understand why, and you will be proud to boast it is on your bookshelf. Particularly powerful is McKee's demonstration of how character and story are interwoven and the elements required to develop an "eventful" scene, including scene analysis techniques that will improve your work. I also strongly recommend attending Robert McKee's Story Seminar.

Art Of Dramatic Writing: Its Basis in the Creative Interpretation of Human Motives (Lajos Egri)

Egri's focus on premise and character is unsurpassed. Though considered a guide for playwriting, his insights and instruction can and should be applied to screenplays as well. You will find his ideas referenced in any screenwriting book worth reading, but there's no substitute for the source material, which in great detail covers a story's premise, character development and growth, rising conflict--all the critical elements required to create a compelling ending. This is not a book to be ignored.

The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script (David Trottier)

This aptly titled "Screenwriter's Bible" not only is a great introductory book but also a must-have reference even for experienced screenwriters. It covers the essential basics and provides updated screenplay formatting standards; Trottier is the "Dr. Format" featured in Script magazine.

Making a Good Script Great (Linda Seger)

While many screenwriting books cover the basics, this book is a must-have for elevating your material beyond the basics. Sure, maybe the script you wrote is good, but good is not good enough. There are a ton of "good" scripts out there--but that's a pretty big pile. What pile do you want your script to be in? This book was written by a long-time script consultant and I highly recommend it--especially if you are hoping to sell your script to Hollywood.

Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds: The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read (Michael Hauge)

This book will help you distill your compelling, compound-complex stories into simple sentences. And why does that matter? Because, frankly, nobody has the time to listen to your extensive diatribe and, more importantly, nobody has the time to read your screenplay. So you must "sell" them on the idea to read it, disgusting as that might sound. But it's the sad truth. So whether you are pitching your story to a big-time producer or merely trying to gain the interest of an up-and-coming actor to be in your film, you must learn how to succinctly sell your story, and this is one of the best guides available.