The Writers Guide to Writing Your Screenplay

by Cynthia Whitcomb

The Writer Books, January, 2002.
Paperback, 221 pages.
ISBN: 0871161915

The Writers Guide to Writing Your Screenplay by Cynthia Whitcomb

This book provides instruction for writing screenplays and television scripts. The book includes checklists, practical advice and tips, as well as excerpts from screenplays. An important feature in the book is the detailed explanations of how to format the scripts. The book explains each portion of the screenplay so screenwriters understand what each part means and why it is necessary -- in addition to basic instruction about how to format a script. This formatting instruction includes terminology, page numbering, formatting specifics, headings, camera directions and even special formatting techniques, such as if you want to show that your character is singing. In addition to this special chapter, the book also includes script examples throughout the book to help the writer. Other topics covered in the book include research, three-act structure, storyboards, characters, conflict, opening and endings and rights. The book also lists additional resources for screenwriters and gives suggestions of movies to rent.

Cynthia Whitcomb has sold over seventy screenplays and television scripts, and has also taught screenwriting for nearly twenty years at the UCLA Film School. Ms. Whitcomb provides a well-laid out and easy to understand guide, that will surely benefit screenwriters. The book follows Whitcomb's process of writing a screenplay using both your creative right brain and your analytical left brain. The process involves four steps: The Spin, The Heart, The Mind and The Spirit, and the book follows these steps logically allowing the reader to learn Whitcomb's process as well as learn screenwriting methods, tips and tricks along the way. Writing Your Screenplay is packed with good advice and information -- this is a must-have for screenwriters.

The Writers Guide to Writing Your Screenplay is available for purchase on Amazon.com

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This review was published in the April, 2002 of The Internet Writing Journal.