In this article, I’ll discuss the 10 best books on screenwriting that are very important to become a successful screenwriter.
“Screenwriting is the most prized of all the cinematic arts. actually, it isn’t, but it should be.”
Hugh Laurie, English actor, author, comedian, director, musician, and singer.
When we hear the term screenwriting, we think that it is a process of writing anything for TV or movies. But scriptwriting doesn’t exactly mean it. Screenwriting simply means to write something unique, interesting, engaging, and sensible for a screen not to write articles only for newspapers or magazines.
Screenwriting is a craft and it can’t be learned without practice. For example, if someone perfectly knows the computer operation, it doesn’t mean he can make computer software. Without Software development practice, he can’t create even a single software program. Just like that, screenwriting can never be the best without practice. The combination of knowledge and practice is the only way that will succeed you in this field.
There are many people who are struggling to become successful screenwriters due to a lack of proper expertise in it. Now, a question arises as to how they can specialize in screenwriting. The very simple answer is by reading the books of great and successful screenwriters. In these books, the authors describe all ins and outs of screenwriting that help a lot to understand it.
But as you know today there are thousands of books available which are devoted only to screenwriting. So, it can be a big confusion for you which books you should take. Don’t worry. To save your energy and time, I mentioned the 10 best books on screenwriting after few hours of research.
Are you ready to explore these books?
Okay, let’s start-
List of 10 Best Books on Screenwriting
The Writer’s Journey – 25th Anniversary Edition
| Author | Christopher Vogler |
| Publication | 2020 |
| Rating | 4.8 out of 5 |
“The Writer’s Journey” is a great book for those who want to explore screenwriting up to the next level. The author explained his journey when he was writing for Walt Disney Animation executives regarding “The Lion King“. It is a comprehensible account of major work at the intersection of many complex disciplines that Mr. Vogler has provided us with a manual to probe the secrets of the human journey.
The Screenwriter’s Bible
| Author | David Trottier |
| Publication | 2019 (7th Edition) |
| Rating | out of 5 |
As the title suggests, it is the bible of screenwriting where you can learn from A to Z about screenwriting. It provides a concise course in screenwriting from basics to advance. In addition, it can be said as a formatting guide that thoroughly covers today’s correct formats for screenplays and TV scripts. It is a very informative and knowledgeable book. I highly recommend it to you.
Save The Cat!
| Author | Blake Snyder |
| Publication | 2005 |
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
Blake Snyder’s “Save The Cat!” is a best-selling book in screenplays and screenwriting on Amazon. For good screenwriting, it is most important to be familiar with all exceptions behind the story and Snyder presents those exceptions in a solid, well-done, interesting way. If you want to write a story that doesn’t make a good return, this book is not for you but if you want to write a story that makes the film or movie blockbuster, this book is waiting for you.
Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting
| Author | Robert McKee |
| Publication | 1997 |
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
Robert McKee has presented a stimulating, innovative, refreshingly, and practical knowledge about screenwriting through this book that goes into great depth on the art of writing stories. The author has tried to describe all the ins and outs behind screenwriting. Although this book is focused on films, its info easily relates to novels, TV, and theatre. Eventually, it is an excellent instruction manual on the craft of storytelling.
Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting
| Author | Syd Field |
| Publication | 2005 |
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
“Screenplay” is one of the best guides to show how to convert any novel, play, or article into a great script of a movie, including acting instructions and scene directions. The author also tries to explain why the structure and character of screenwriting are the basic components of all narrative scripts through this informative book. I very highly recommend this book because it can help people with how to write a good screenplay, whether it be for film or television.
Lew Hunter’s Screenwriting 434
| Author | Lew Hunter |
| Publication | 2004 |
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
“Lew Hunter’s Screenwriting 434” is one of the best books on screenwriting that reveals the secrets of successful screenwriting. Through this book, Lew Hunter has provided an organized, and simple guide on how to write successful screenplays that can attract anyone. If we talk about its language, it is simple, informative, and easy to understand which is the best thing about this book.
The Nutshell Technique
| Author | Jill Chamberlain |
| Publication | 2016 |
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
Jill Chamberlain’s “The Nutshell Technique” is really a great screenwriting book that guides you to systematically write the story you want to tell. The book teaches how to weave the main character to create emotionally rich scripts that have a direct impact on people’s minds. In a nutshell, it is a manual with insightful tips and guidelines that truly makes the challenges of writing a screenplay surmountable.
The Coffee Break Screenwriter
| Author | Pilar Alessandra |
| Publication | 2016 |
| Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
“The Coffee Break Screenwriter” is one of the best books on screenwriting that is like a strategic field guide about the art of war. The author describes how the script can be created even at coffee time, that is, how one can write effectively in a very short time. It is a very practical book that’s advice is easy to apply. Moreover, it is well written and easy to understand.
Your Screenplay Sucks!
| Author | William M Akers |
| Publication | 2008 |
| Rating | 4.6 out of 5 |
“Your Screenplay Sucks!” by William M Akers is a great book screenwriter that is filled with some really helpful tips about the process and more importantly about the economy of words. The book will teach you which word should be selected for different situations and states. Moreover, it will give you insights into the screenwriting world that will help you to understand it well.
The 21st Century Screenplay
| Author | Linda Aronson |
| Publication | 2011 |
| Rating | 4.5 out of 5 |
As technology is constantly growing, new things are coming in front of us. Since screenwriting is also constantly evolving so it is very important to be aware of all things. In “The 21st-Century Screenplay“, the author has described all those necessary points that will be a crucial part of tomorrow’s films. It is one of the best screenwriting books that is created by keeping the future in mind.
Conclusion
These are the 10 best books on screenwriting that are quite enough to make you a successful screenwriter in near future. If you genuinely read these books, you will be able to understand the whole process of screenwriting. These books teach you how to create such content that the audience will definitely love, how to understand which type of script the filmmaker wants.
If you think this article is a bit informative, share it with your friends to appreciate us.
Thank you.
Further, Read-
