# Can Anyone Suggest a Good Book on Writing Screenplays?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-suggest-a-good-book-on-writing-screenplays/12685>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 11, 2000, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-suggest-a-good-book-on-writing-screenplays/12685 "2000-01-11T22:28:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Flypsyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Flypsyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flypsyde)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2000, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-suggest-a-good-book-on-writing-screenplays/12685/1 "2000-01-11T22:28:00Z")

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I’m finally getting my act together. I want to know if anyone here’s written a screenplay or had one produced? Also, can anyone reccomend a good book for outlining the basics of writing one? Thanks in advance.

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He weathered a firestorm of agony and did not break.  
And while Yori raged against his unbending  
courage, we took Kyuden Hiruma back.  
His loss is great, but so is the gift his suffering brought.  
-_Yakamo’s Funeral_

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**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-suggest-a-good-book-on-writing-screenplays/12685/2 "2000-01-12T00:07:00Z")

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_The Complete Book of Scriptwriting_ by J.M.Straczynski is an excellent book on script and screen play writing. He has written two editions, with the second edition drawing on stuff learned from working as Producer of Babylon-5 as well.

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\>\>Being Chaotic Evil means never having to say your sorry…unless the other guy is bigger than you.\<\<

—The dragon observes

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**Author:** ![Ursa\_Major](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a88e57/32.png) [@Ursa\_Major](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ursa_Major)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-suggest-a-good-book-on-writing-screenplays/12685/3 "2000-01-12T01:17:00Z")

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For learning the industry-standard formats and outlines, forget the book. Get software that does everything for you. I use “Script Thing”; $200, but worth every cent.

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**Author:** ![MrKnowItAll](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrknowitall/32/87_2.png) [@MrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrKnowItAll)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-suggest-a-good-book-on-writing-screenplays/12685/4 "2000-01-12T03:56:00Z")

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How about a good screenplay on writing books?

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**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2000, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-anyone-suggest-a-good-book-on-writing-screenplays/12685/5 "2000-01-12T05:46:00Z")

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William Goldman’s Adventures in the Screen Trade.

It’s more anecdotal than a primer on screen writing, but he gives an extended example at the end.