Customer Reviews
Motivating, Inspiring, Informative 
2008-09-11
This book was very helpful. As someone who currently has no "mentor" so to speak in the film industry, this book has acted as my temporary guide. It addresses many problems screenwriters go through, as well as warning people of the pitfalls that many aspiring screenwriters fall into. Highly recommended.
BUY IT! 2008-07-05
I own several screenwriting books and consider this one to be in the top 3 (McKee and Vogler being the other 2). The reason is because this is one of the few screenwriting books with information coming straight from successful screenwriters. This is key, because through their insights you can better understand how they work, think, and live. And this ultimately affects your writing positively because a lot of the uncertainties during the writing process are discussed. It won't teach you about structure etc, but it contains information that to me was equally vital: how to think as a successful screenwriter.
If you read only one book on screen writing, read this one 2008-03-18
In real estate they discuss the three "L's" Location, location, location. This is the three "W's" Write, Write and Write more. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to write a screen play.
A Must Read 2007-05-14
This is a must read for anyone who aspires to be a screen writer. Any wannabe writer has their own personal favorite blogs, a blog that helps inspire, motivate and teach them. This book is almost a best of those blogs from successful writers whose movies they have written have actually BEEN PRODUCED.
The one main theme of this book is just write and write and write because you love writing and not because you want the Hollywood celebrity lifestyle. Great writing will open a lot of doors for one and most importantly, keep that door open.
In my opinion, I like to study and and read how successful writers from all genres got their first break, their work ethic and how most importantly they work through writer's block and rejection. Again, Karl Iglesias' book does that successfully.
The truth you need to hear before pursuing your dreams 2006-04-10
I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Iglesias at the Screenwriting Expo. He knows his craft, he loves the business. And he's brutally honest in conveying the realistic odds of breaking into Hollywood. While no one ever says it's easy, he can tell you just how hard. This book is a must read for any aspiring screenwriter. Interviewing some of the greatest screenwriters, they all are forthcoming in telling their own tales of struggle, achievement, success, and most of them, frustration.
This book may be geared toward all screenwriters, however it succeeds in leaps and bounds, by telling the realistic truth any up-and-coming screenwriter needs to hear. Too often people are putting together a script hoping to win the lotttery, sell it for mid-six figures, and not taking the time to understand that the money should never be the motivating factor of writing any script. And if that's your only motivation, you'll never succeed in making your dream come true. This book reminds those of us that do it for a different reason, what that reason is. It's the love of writing. Anything else, any other reason, is simply a waste of time and energy.
Mr. Iglesias lays it out in plain view, through interview after interview, just how much of an uphill battle it is get someone to simply give your script a look, and even then, chances of your selling it are slim. Nicholas Kazan once spoke at a seminar. He told them to go turn in their registration forms and go home. He then told them that if any of them seriously entertained that advice, they would never make it. It's all about challenge and it's all about sacrifice. This book will help you realize how important both of those things are.
Yes, I am tired of reading old reviews on Screenwriting Books too. 2006-03-06
Aspiring screenwriters don't need another book on how to write a screenplay, says Karl Iglesias. What they need is a book on how to be a screenwriter. Voilà:
The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters, featuring interviews with 14 screenwriters, arranged by subject. The result reads like a panel discussion, touching on such subjects as collaboration, schmoozing, discipline, Hollywood, and story pitching. The dream of winning a Hollywood jackpot has lured everyone and his gardener into the screenwriting game. Still, despite the unencouraging odds, "all you need to do is write a good script," says Scott Rosenberg (
Beautiful Girls). Some of the book's best advice concerns one of the screenwriter's most formidable hurdles: getting a screenplay read. Submit it to film festivals and screenwriting competitions, or follow Tom Schulman's (
Dead Poet's Society) advice and hire an entertainment attorney. After all, "most of them know a lot of agents."
--Jane Steinberg
A Must Have For Aspriring Screenwriters 2005-11-27
This is one of thost books that you absolutely must read if you are an aspiring screenwriter. It's a goldmine of quality information to help you go from being a decent or lousy writer to a great one. Fourteen of Hollywood's most successful screenwriters share their secrets and tips to writing and selling your scripts to Hollywood. It's like getting private lessons from the pro's. Don't pass this book up, it will make a big difference in your writing career.
A good "dip-in" book for the isolated writer 2004-12-20
Think of this book this way: it's you having a cup of tea with a bunch of good and not-so-good (but working) screenplay writers. This is not a formula for greatness, but rather a list of suggestions and experiences that you can greatly benefit from if you are so inclined.
Don't be put off by the cover. This is a good book. The best thing about it is it creates a sense of community and exchange of knowledge in what is essentially an isolated (and some might argue isolating) occupation.
This is a "dip-in" book which I find useful and refer to often.
A Helping Hand 2004-07-05
Are you thinking of writing a screenplay? Then you could use the advice in this book. First of all, this is not a how-to book. It doesn't show you how to develop characters, or structure a story, or tell you how to write. What it does give you is information on the daily life and habits of professional screenwriters. One of the most important pieces of advice is to just write. Too often, a beginning screenwriter will spend years to write one script and then shop it around. This is a big mistake for several reasons. A movie producer is looking for someone who can work reliably at speed. If you've only written one script, they're going to be suspicious about your abilities. Another thing is that producers are very busy, so if you get one of them to finally read your script, it's going to be the first and last chance. Do you really want to show him your first script? It's trash to him. Would you send your first painting to an art gallery? Of course not, so you shouldn't do the same with screenwriting. You should have written 5 to 10 screenplays before you think of showing your work around. Most aspiring screenwriters don't want to put in this work, and it shows. If you write, you will get better. If you love writing, and you can apply yourself to your writing, then you can have a chance to work in Hollywood.
Quintessential Reading for any Screenwriter! 2004-06-11
I recommend this book to anyone wanting to get into this cutthroat industry. I learned the most from Ron Bass and Eric Roth. They have great insights within the book and I respect their work. The portion about acquiring an agent and outlining your script were particularly helpful to me. This is going into my amazing pile, next to "The Writers Journey" and "Immediate Fiction". 5/5!
