Malcolm Gladwell wrote in his book Outliers: Secrets of Success that in order to become an expert in anything, you need 10,000 hours of practice. That is also true for screenwriters and film makers.
I am of the belief that if you want to be good at something, you’re constantly working to enhance your knowledge, hone your craft and try new things.
When I interact with young screenwriters, I find myself recommending the same reading material over and over again, so my next logical step was to list them here.
The Short Screenplay: Your Short Film from Concept to Production
Before you run, you must walk.
Before you write a feature, I highly recommend you write a short film.
A short film can range anywhere from 1 min to 45 or so, but usually around 5-10 mins is the common format that can find itself programmed into film festivals. That’s the sweet spot, so you might want to look in that range specifically.
Find it here.
Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need
Often touted as the “Bible of Screenwriting,” Save the Cat! is a famous book on the craft. This book takes a more Hollywood approach to screenwriting that’s beneficial for those wanting to understand the formula of most popular films.
From the initial idea, to creating a beat sheet to marketing your script, Save the Cat! is a great resource to dive into.
the book’s strength lies in its foundation of the formula of story arcs and organizational tools such as the beat sheet, so this is definitely a book you should check out.
Find the book here.
Your Screenplay Sucks! 100 Ways to Make it Great
I always send this book recommendation with the disclaimer “This is by no means a commentary on your script!”
This book is broken up into digestible chunks that go into details on common problems and how to fix them. This book explores structure, the nitty gritty of story and other details that might have been missed during your first draft, such as a deep B story or multi-faceted characters.
Find the book here.
Crafty TV Writing: Thinking Inside the Box
This is the book for any sort of TV writing. Here you learn about the particular format of broadcast television writing. TV writing is a different game than writing a feature by a long shot, as it pertains to act breaks, teasers, tags, and how to best tell a joke (the funny word comes last!).
This book also has a meaty section on agents, navigating the world of spec script writing and pitching.
Find it here.
Honorable Mentions:
The Coffee Break Screenwriter: Writing Your Script 10 Minutes at a Time. Find it here.
Secrets of Film Writing. Find it here.
Bridget LaMonica 