Looking for great books? This is my personal selection of the best books on screenwriting. For this book list, I polled filmmakers, writers, producers, and experts in the field on the books they recommend. I try to thoughtfully curate all of my reading lists so that you can be sure that any book recommended on this page is worth your time. On top of that, the page also includes links to notable articles and podcast episodes.
The book pickings below are my favorite screenwriting books to read and I obviously read every single one of them. Here are some of the best essays to read. ⬇️
The best books about screenwriting
Save the Cat
Helps authors to create a plot structure using fifteen plot points.
The Writer’s Journey
by Christopher Vogler
The Book Depository | Bol.com | Amazon |
Waterstones | Bookshop.org
A deep analysis on how ancient mythology has an effect on present day movies and television.
American Screenwriters: The Insiders’ Look at the Art, the Craft, and the Business of Writing Movies
Edited by Karl Schanzer & Thomas Lee Wright
The Book Depository | Amazon |
Waterstones | Bookshop.org
Edited by Patrick McGilligan
The Book Depository | Amazon |
Waterstones | Bookshop.org
The Craft of the Screenwriter
Edited by John Brady
More:
“The New Screenwriter Look at the New Screenwriter,” edited by William Froug
“The Screenwriter Looks at the Screenwriter,” edited by William Froug
“Screenwriter: Words Become Pictures,” edited by Lee Server
“Screenwriters: The Best in the Businesss Discuss Their Craft,” edited by Joel Engel
“Oscar-Winning Screenwriters On Screenwriting: The Award-Winning Best in the Business Discuss Their Craft,” edited by Joel Engel
“Screenwriters’ Masterclass: Screenwriters Talk About Their Greatest Movies,” edited by Kevin Conroy Scott
“Why We Write: Personal Statements and Photographic Portraits of 25 Top Screenwriters,” edited by Lorian Tamara Elbert
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I’ll be regularly updating this roundup to include additional thrilling new offerings.
