The 21st Century Screenplay

"The 21st Century Screenplay is the much-expanded successor to the author's Scriptwriting Updated. Many books in one, it offers a comprehensive, highly practical manual of screenwriting from the classic to the avant-garde, from The African Queen and Tootsie, to 21 Grams, Pulp Fiction, Memento and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Whether you want to write short films, features, adaptations, genre films, ensemble films, blockbusters or art house movies, this book takes you all the way from choosing the brilliant idea to plotting, writing and rewriting. Featuring a range of insider survival tips on time-effective writing, creativity under pressure and rising to the challenge of international competition, The 21st Century Screenplay is essential reading for newcomer and veteran alike."

- Amazon

Learn how to break stories down into core concepts so you can give your own story the structure it needs.

Linda Aronson does not simply provide checklists of what should be in a good screenplay but offers incisive analyses and examples that help you understand how to write and rewrite your script. She also uses many chapters to explain the structure of nonlinear plot structures. This book is a thoughtful and informative read, though it's most likely best approached as a manual.