Books to Write With

In the spirit of encouraging writing, here are some book recommendations for writing:

"Screenplay" by Sid Field - The classic handbook to the 3 Act screenplay, a must for any tool kit.

"Screenwriter's Bible" by David Trottier - I Like this book because it introduces a plot structure driven by critical events that define and/or drives your character(s).

"20 Master Plots" by Ronald B. Tobias - I've had this one for almost a decade! This is where I learned the importance in balancing the triangle of relationships between characters and when I'm stuck plotting a story, I reference this book to get ideas on where to go.

"Story" by Robert McKee - If it can inspire Charlie Kaufman then it's good enough for me. If anything I learned that a great writer makes decisions whereas an inept writer avoids such responsibility.

"On Writing" by Stephen King - A seamless narrative of how he became to be and how he puts print to page. He claims that if you want to write, you got to read - a lot. The King reads something like 80 books in a year.

Here's a curve ball for you,

"Love Signs" by Linda Goodman - Now before you laugh your ass off, you know you yourself or someone close to you has identified with horoscopes on one level or another. This is simply because horoscopes are a time tested study of patterns and character. And if you think it's all fiction - well then that's exactly what we're writing, fiction. This book is a great reference on how your characters might interact with each other... and if you want to go one step further and use this book for your love life, well then that's just none of my business.

So there you go. You may now go back to your regularly scheduled programming.


Sam