Teach Yourself: Complete Screenwriting Course

Getting your script right starts with the first spark of an idea and continues all the way through to selling your polished screenplay. Complete Screenwriting Course takes you through the whole process from beginning to end — and then onwards into building a screenwriting career.

This is a practical and honest guide to writing for film and television. It recognises that writing is not always neat, tidy or predictable. Instead, it shows different ways screenwriters can work, with advice and insights from professionals across the industry.

Practical exercises help you develop the craft of writing mainstream and independent screenplays, including building plots, characters, dialogue and scenes. The book also helps you critique your own work and deal with common screenwriting problems as they arise.

Unlike many screenwriting books, it is not prescriptive. It explains mainstream Hollywood approaches, while also referencing other styles, cultures and traditions so you can find your own personal way into the craft.

Filled with tools for structure, voice, rewriting, pitching, social media and working with others, Complete Screenwriting Course is designed to stay beside you whether you are starting out or already experienced.