Understanding how to write a great screenplay takes time and practice. However, you don’t have to go it entirely alone because tools exist designed to help you develop your writing skills.
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Known as ‘screenwriting manuals’, these are guides written by a mixture of development executives, seasoned writers, character psychologists and Hollywood writer/directors to serve as a guide for every screenwriter to hone their skills.
About the best screenwriting books
Every manual has its own style and focus. Some give you rigid templates to outline your story, while others suggest a more organic approach to creation. Some prefer to figure out what you want to say before writing, whereas others suggest it’ll come to you in later drafts.
The critical thing to remember is that none of these guides are definitive. You’ll likely prefer some to others and find chunks of golden advice in all of them. So use what works for you and discard the rest, knowing that it’s all helping you find your distinctive tone of voice.
Because how everyone prefers to write is subjective, the books listed below are in no particular order.
So here are my top 25 best screenwriting books to help you learn the craft and further your screenwriting career:
1. Save the Cat (2005) by Blake Snyder
Ubiquitous to screenwriters around the globe, most read Save the Cat as their introduction to the screenwriting craft. The book is noted for its beat sheet that helps writers develop plots down to the page where each action should occur. Use Save the Cat to hone your story structure.
2. Screenplay, the Foundations of Screenwriting (1979) by Syd Field
For writers who have nailed their concept but have no idea how to execute it, Screenplay is the answer. Field shows how some of the biggest films in history work and teaches us their lessons. Use Screenplay to take your script from concept to completion.
3. Story (1998) by Robert McKee
Regarded by many in the industry as the best screenwriting book, Story is known for its no-nonsense approach to development. McKee is perhaps at his strongest when writing about building conflict beat by beat with his breakdown of the Casablanca script. Use Story to improve your ability to structure scenes.
4. The Writer’s Journey (1992) by Christopher Vogler
Allegedly the screenwriting manual used by several Pixar writers, The Writer’s Journey is like a character-driven version of Save the Cat. Vogler begins with character archetypes and teaches us about their role in any story. Use it to create characters that drive your protagonist to accomplish their emotional arc.
5. Into the Woods (2014) by John Yorke
The latest book to be accepted into the screenwriting canon. Into the Woods teaches that stories are like mirrors where every decision, emotion and action up to the mid-point is reflected in the second half during the drive to the climax. Use Into the Woods to conquer act two.
6. Maverick Screenwriting (2012) by Josh Golding
Rather than sticking to set formulas, Maverick Screenwriting teaches you how to use advanced writing techniques to play with time, reality and logic. Instead, Golding emphasises looking deep into your story’s theme to discover an original way to tell it. Use Maverick Screenwriting to hone your unique style.
7. The Science of Writing Characters (2020) by Kira Anne Pelican
In The Science of Writing Characters, Pelican utilises the big five personality types theory to help writers understand what motivates their characters and where their disposition to act in certain circumstances comes from. Use this book to develop coherent characters that act based on strong personal histories.
8. Inside Fictional Minds (2021) by Dr. Stephanie Carty
Inside Fictional Minds teaches writers to consider how characters’ histories affect their thinking habits. Using writing prompts akin to a psychodynamic therapy session, writers confront the conflicts their characters have to unpick to complete their arcs. Use this book to understand the journey your protagonist needs to undertake to change.
9. Your Screenplay Sucks! (2008) by William A. Akers
You’ve written your first draft, great! Now what? In Your Screenplay Sucks!, Akers offers writers a checklist of 100 questions to answer before considering their script ‘finished’ using examples from other writers on how they solved their script problems. Use Your Screenplay Sucks! To guide your rewriting process.
10. The Elements of Style (1918) by William Strunk Jr.
An all-rounder writing book for any writer, The Elements of Style is considered compulsory reading to hone the craft. Primarily a grammar book, which will help every screenwriter, the major takeaway is a lesson on being concise so that every word remains effective. Use for your final revision.
11. The Penguin Guide to Punctuation (1997) by Larry Trask
Screenwriters are notoriously bad at spelling and grammar compared to other writing disciplines, so The Penguin Guide to Punctuation is your pocket-sized friend that clearly and concisely explains all the rules you need to know. Use this book for a quick reminder on what punctuation to use when.
12. On Writing (2000) by Stephen King
Part biography, part collection of tips for aspiring writers, On Writing is less a writing manual and more a masterclass on perseverance. Written by horror author Stephen King, who’s seen every one of his books become a bestseller, use On Writing as a reminder to find joy in the process.
13. Reading Screenplays (2011) by Lucy Scher
The best screenwriting book to learn what to write to get your story past the industry gatekeepers: the script readers. In Reading Screenplays, Lucy Scher shows you how to write a script report and analyse the craft of story. Use this to understand how your scripts are analysed.
14. Screenwriting: the Sequence Approach (2020) by Joseph Paul Galino
Each film usually comprises 5-7 sequences, so screenplay writing is sequence writing. In Screenwriting: the Sequence Approach, Galino helps to simplify the outlining process by focussing on a handful of big events that complete your character arc. Use this book for crafting a story with powerful, emotionally-charged turning points.
15. Short Films: Writing the Screenplay (2012) by Patrick Nash
Short film scripts are no different in format, craft or structure to features, but they do require the right concept. Short Films demystifies what to look for in a story that’s naturally suited to be told quickly. Use the book to craft short screenplays that connect with audiences.
16. The Seven Basic Plots (2004) by Christopher Booker
The Seven Basic Plots shows how telling stories evolved in humans to aid survival through seven basic archetypal plots. Booker teaches how to tap into these universal structures to find the best way to tell your story. Use this book to discover what your story is truly about.
17. The Science of Storytelling (2019) by Will Storr
In The Science of Storytelling, Storr shows how we can use psychological research, myths and plot archetypes to craft emotional scenes that resonate with the audience in the way the writer intends. Use this book to learn how to mix storytelling logic with emotional resonance to craft your own voice.
18. The Hero with a Thousand Faces (1949) by Joseph Campbell
A book that unpacks fairy tales, Vedas, legends and ancient stories to show us that there are underlying act structures hidden across all of them. Use The Hero with a Thousand Faces to learn the patterns across all storytelling mediums to serve as the foundation for your own work.
19. Take Off Your Pants (2015) by Libbie Hawker
Targeting those who prefer to just write, Take Off Your Pants teaches you the value of a well considered outline. Hawker showcases her universal outline technique that works across genres to ensure your premise doesn’t come undone halfway through writing. Use this book for creating bulletproof outlines.
20. Writing Dialogue for Scripts (1998) by Rib Davis
In Writing Dialogue for Scripts, Davis demonstrates how to create three-dimensional characters just by the way they talk. He gets you to consider character history, personality and quirks to create characters with unique ways of speaking. Use this book to craft characters with a distinctive vocabulary, pace and voice.
21. 20 Master Plots and How to Build Them (1993) by Robert Tobias
In the 20 Master Plots and How to Build Them, author Tobias teaches you how to use genre and archetypal plots to inform the structure of memorable stories. Use this when starting a new project but don’t know what you’re trying to say or which mechanics to use.
22. The Idea: The Seven Elements of a Viable Story (2018) by Erik Bork
One of the rare books that considers how to tell whether your premise is best told as a book, play or screenplay, The Idea teaches you to spot the flaws in your story’s concept. Use this book when starting a new story to test whether it’ll work as a screenplay.
23. Creating Character Arcs (2016) by K. M. Weiland
Creating Character Arcs aims to teach you how to blend plot, character and story structure into a memorable character journey that leaves audiences satisfied. Weiland has a particular focus on creating arcs over series and trilogies, so use this book if you’re writing for TV or creating a cinematic universe.
24. The Anatomy of Story (2007) by John Truby
In The Anatomy of Story, Truby takes an organic approach to storytelling. Rather than suggest using specific structures, he suggests writers listen to their characters, plot and location to build a narrative that’s comfortable with itself. Use this book to try a different method of story building.
25. Writing Your Story’s Theme (2020) by K. M. Weiland
Writing Your Story’s Theme teaches writers how to use theme from the moment they conceive a premise. Weiland showcases how to utilise theme to tie all plot points, characters and conflicts together in a heartfelt story. Use this book to find your personal philosophy and what you want to say.
Editor & Artwork/Banner (Film Forums): Richard Williams
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Studied Screenwriting at the MET Film School and currently work as a copywriter. I write black comedy and animated family genre scripts and love a classic British sitcom.
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