One of my all-time favourite screenwriting books has been Linda Aronson’s Screenwriting Updated – and now she’s updated it! The 21st Century Screenplay adds 50% more.
The breadth is enormous – from the psychology of creativity right the way through the basics. You could base a whole career just on the first chapters – and then she really takes off into the stratosphere of alternative structures, flashbacks, multiple protagonists and more.
I declare an interest (a) Linda is a personal friend (b) I’m quoted in the new book (twice!). But that’s not why I sing the book’s praises. (And I’m not the only one – there are testimonials from much more famous people than me).
What I particularly like is that she covers some of the areas of screenwriting that few others do. There are parts that many of the books just don’t talk about – and they are often the most important. Unblocking creativity is one – breaking the rules is another.
Check out more of my favourite screenwriting books here