Craig Mazin, a working screenwriter, had some interesting comments about paying for a screenwriting consultant, or buying a book written by one of the so-called screenwriting gurus. He makes some good points, and I think his heart is in the right place. But not every reader agrees. There’s a heated discussion in the comments section. Whether you agree with him or with one of the readers, that post is well worth checking out.
Personally, I’ve read quite a few screenwriting books, and I believe there is some value in them, but you can’t expect to read books and become a career screenwriter. And Mazin is definitely right when he says,
“You’re far better off reading screenplays (lots of places on the internet to do that) and watching movies.”
But I do like to read books, and as Terry Rossio put it in comment #22,
“You might have overlooked one of the main reason why many people buy screenwriting books, from authors who don’t actually write screenplays.
Procrastination.”
Read the post here.
Related articles
- Those who can’t write, teach seminars (johnaugust.com)
- Reader Question: What is the best way to learn screenwriting? (gointothestory.com)
- Tips for Revising Action in Your Screenplay (brighthub.com)
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