This book is extremely well written and easy to understand. It makes you believe that you can write a screenplay and it shows you exactly how to do it.

I've used this book quite a bit as I work through my class, and I have found it very helpful so far.

This book is well worth the money, and more. An excellent beginning screenplay writer's guide. Combine this with Robert McKee's book Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwritingy and you have a heck of a learning tool.

If you are thinking of enrolling in a film school to study how to write scripts, GET THIS BOOK FIRST. You might save a lot of money. This book has everything. It's easy to read. I wish I'd found this book before wasting tons of money on U*LA.

Screenwriters Bible?

This is what your girl friend would give you in her return visit from the library; she would "make you a tape"; she would go to the library, get a whole bunch of things that have the label "screenwriting" and shove them in this little file when she heard your going to be screenwriting.

I honestly thought that this thing would be a large book that deals exclusively with script format.

The truth is that this guy basically went to the Screenwriters section in a library, tore out a whole bunch of pages from everything he could get his hands on and shoved it into this little book.

It is everything and nothing at all.

Sorry. If you dont have access to many things as is, if you dont have access to a library, a book store, the internet, if you are in the Amazon Jungle where no signs of life exist for hundreds of miles, then this might be the best book out there.

If you are truly void of all resources,
cannot get your hands on anything in regards to Screenwriting,
this collage of snipets from everything under the sun might be for you.

One of the most useless books out there. (But then again, so are most screenwriting books).

Not the best for Format. Thats for sure.

This book is most helpful on formatting tips, story arc and how things look on a screenplay. That aside the book isn't entirely necessary because of screenplay writing programs such as Final Draft or Screenwriter which tackle the formatting and appearance issues so the writer doesn't have to. Also, don't take a lot of the advice and "rules" Trottier gives and lays out too seriously or set-in-stone because it's all coming from a guy who hasn't sold a single screenplay all his own. He's a teacher and the old saying, "those who can't do, teach," definitely applies to this guy. If you want to learn the screenwriting craft, reading this book certainly does not hurt one bit; so, pick it up and draw your own conclusions.

THE SCREENWRITER'S BIBLE comprises six booklets in one volume:

Book I: How to Write a Screenplay--A Primer;
Book II: 7 Steps to a Stunning Script--A Workbook;
Book III: Proper Formatting Technique--A Style Guide;
Book IV: Writing & Revising Your Breakthrough--A Script Consultant's View.
Book V: How to Sell Your Script--A Marketing Plan;
Book VI: Resources and General Index.

The book's 386 pages, eight-and-a-half by nine inch size would equal 550 pages in the more common six by nine inch size.

Book I: How to Write a Screenplay. Aptly subtitled a primer, this book presents a compact introduction to screenwriting. In particular, Trottier focuses on the three-act structure with six key turning or plot points: the catalyst; the big event; the pinch (or midpoint); the crisis (low point); the showdown; the realization. Throughout, the author includes illustrations from well-known films.

Book II: 7 Steps to a Stunning Script. This workbook includes 25 checkpoint lists and a character/action grid - highly useful in constructing the screenplay.

Book III: Proper Formatting Technique--A Style Guide. "The spec script is the selling script, sometimes called the writer's draft. You write it with the idea of selling it later or circulating it as a sample. Once it is sold and goes into pre-production, it will be transformed into a shooting script, also known as the production draft. The spec-script style avoids camera angles, editing directions, and technical intrusions" (page 114). This book convinced me to use the author's software "Dr Format" instead of "Final Draft." To illustrate formatting a spec script, Trottier includes his humorous three-page script "The Perspicacious Professor." I have enrolled in his online Formatting course.

Book IV: Writing & Revising Your Breakthrough--A Script Consultant's View. In this book the author includes tips on "how to direct the camera without using camera directions" and exercises based on his clients' scripts to instruct the reader on how to revise to current spec writing style.

Book V: How to Sell Your Script--A Marketing Plan. In addition to numerous suggestions on marketing, Trottier cautions the screenwriter to protect your work. "Registering one's copyright and displaying the copyright notice on the script's title page is no longer seen as something done by paranoid writers." In this book I learned that Writers Guild of America will register one-page synopsis, longer treatments, as well as draft(s) of a screenplay.

Book VI: Resources and General Index. This book comprises several lists containing "carefully selected entries." I promptly looked up the first entry: "Updates to The Screenwriter's Bible" on the author's website [...] and found useful tip on formatting as well as revisions on one of the exercises in Book IV. Presumably these changes will be included in the next edition.

Five shining stars to this book.

I've read a few books on screenwritng and I find this this book just as helpful as the others. It's fun, and puts the prospective writer at ease. Well worth reading and doing the homework. Now get that screenplay written and stop just reading about :)

This book is a magic!

I'm in the process of my writing, and having this book is like having a consultant just beside you.and a great one.
it has a lot of great ideas that helps me open my mind and look at the bigger picture.

i found the book also "comfortable" for the eye-big white pages,with large spaces between the lines that makes the reading simple and fun.

don't think twice.

I owe David Trottier a huge Thank you for making this book available. I had taken a class on screenwriting, but didn't fully grasp all the complicated aspects until reading Trottier's book. The man has a gift for teaching in a way that inspires at the same time he's informing in a manner that anyone can completely understand. As a result, I've had two screenplays place as semi-finalists in a major screenwriting contest and approx. 24 scripts are sitting on desks now being read and considered. I know this wouldn't have happened without the help of Trottier's book as a study guide. I cannot express enough my feelings of gratitude. If you're an aspiring screenwriter, this book is a 'must read'...give it several reads and make use of the practice sheets before sending out that first screenplay. You won't regret it!

Chrissy K. McVay
Author of 'Souls of the North Wind'

If you only buy one book about screenwriting make sure that "The Bible" is the one.

I ordered this and I wasn't sure if it was brand new or used but it was new. I needed this for class and it got here pretty quick. It was definitely cheaper than it would have been at the school bookstore.

Wish I had this book all my writing life, its the best and I feel lucky to have found it. A must for any writer.

The Screenwriter's Bible is a fantastic book, especially for beginners in the screen writing business! Even if you're just writing for the sake of your own "therapy", this book is a great tool to use. Very easy to follow, gives actual examples that are very helpful and I was able to get into my own writing right from page one. I am writing in a variety of genres (trashy romance novels . com) and this is my "Bible" I use everyday. The more I write, the more I want to write, the more I read this book, the more I learn! Best wishes! ~ Bright Cat

This is an excellent product for either experienced or beginning screenwriters. I initially leaned screenwriting under the "Old Style" (Tommy Thompson/Bill Wilder..etc. ) This product, The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier, has certainly helped me bring my skills up to date and made it possible for me prepare myself for re-entering a market where most of players have changed. A valuable and practical tool.

I've used the forms in this book and included them with screenplays so that readers could give feedback. I would recommend it.

I bought this book hoping to find out the basics of screenwriting in preparation for an upcoming college course. I was pleasantly suprized to find a comprehensive volume of information. Every aspect of writing AND selling a screenplay are covered. This book will remain a permenant part of my personal library!

if you're just starting to write, having this book will be of immeasurable value to you.

Being a first time screenwriter, this has been absolutely priceless to me. I would highly recommend this to newbie's and people that have been doing it for a while. It's a must have.

The book is full of good information butif in browsing it, you see the website www.clearstream.com and hope to find the promised additional help on line, forget it. That web site is owned by a German investment company (for the past year or so). I Googled David Trotter (author of the book) and found him not.

This does not negate the value of the info in the book itself.

IT gives you what you need to have a screenwriting foundation - especially the technical aspect.

Well written, easy to follow with alot of good advise. This really opened my eyes to the world of Spec Scripts which focus on the story (stay away from giving camera angles - because for the most part its the story that studios want to buy, they already have a staff who will put in the camera angles - they just want the story!!!).

Spec Scripts are what gets your foot in the door (just the story in a format that is read by the Hollywood script readers - who then intern recommend it to the studio).

If you are serious about writting (novels, plays, movies, managa) this book shows you the basic format of Spec Scripts. Once you have completed a sub script you can turn it into anything e.g. novel, play, movie, manga).

Hey everyone, I've owned and read two editions of this book so far and it never fails to help inspire me or answer my questions. I highly recommend this book for the beginner. It starts with a primer on plot basically. It seeks to create a strong foundation because if you know nothing about plot structure and try to write a movie it will turn out either confusing or very boring. David really stresses the 3 act, 7 plot point structure that is the basic framework of creative writing. This can be repetitive, but he really wants to hammer it into your head.

The book also have a whole section on format. I have screenwriting software to do the format for me so I don't look at this as much as I used to, but it still comes in handy. I wrote my first screenplay in Word so this chapter really taught me a lot. Also, software or not, you need to know the basic framework of a spec script.

So, maybe this book doesn't have everything, but I have found this to be the only book I've ever used. Other books I've read on sreenwriting have had a lot of talking by the author. The author just keeps rambling on about things and not teaching me. David stays focused and keep you focused. This book's main purpose is to fill your head with facts. David also injects humor into his writing so you can stay entertained. In the formatting section he writes an amusing story of how he teaches a class in spec script format for example.

When it comes to the more advanced writer, you probably don't need this book, but if you are looking for a refresher course then you need look nowhere else. But what is really good about his approach is that it is focused on you, the spec script writer. He doesn't want to cloud your head with unnecessary camera direction and specials effects- things that the spec writer has no control over. All this happens after the script is sold. It's your job to tell a story using as much detail and action as possible. Don't get caught in the dialog trap- movies are mostly visual.

When you have finished your work and need help marketing it, there is a section of the book devoted to this difficult step. This is the only book on screenwriting I have found useful. Most self-help books I get no use out of. I dig this out whenever I start a new screenwriting project. I do hope to find a more advanced book written in a style like this however, as I have moved past the meat and potatoes stuff.

If you are just starting off as screenwriter and can only afford one book, this is the one. It is organized like a classroom workbook. Personally, I learn better with this type of structure.

Writing is my life. I have written many novels, screenplays, short stories, etc. I have read and continue to read books to improve my writing. I am not kidding when I say The Screenwriter's Bible completely changed how I write. This book not only skyrocketed my ability to complete screenplays, it became an invaluable tool in my novel writing.

In The Screenwriter's Bible, Trottier breaks story theory down into easy to understand plot points. I believe that story writing is a beautiful combination of left and right brained thinking. Trottier understands this. He helps you outline a perfect story schematic before diving in and putting flesh on the skeleton.

If you love to write, as I do, whether you are a novice or an old veteran, you must read The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier. It is a must have among your writing reference arsenal.

Good writing.

-Craig Nybo, author of Total Human: The Complete Strength Training System

If characters keep coming to argue with you in the bath, and in your head, you see the story as a movie, but haven't a clue as how to go forward, buy this book.

Trottier teaches you how to set up a structure, gives examples of types of movies out there, tells you not to be afraid to steal ideas, encourages you to go wierd places to watch people, even to watch lots of movies (hoorah!) and seems a nice man keen to get you writing.

Needless to say, I bit my lip alot and more often than writing "yes!", wrote in the margins, "good for some but not for me." It's the kind of book that knows about too. There's the repetive voice that weaves in and out of your psyche: "Oh go on, don't give up."

This guy just makes sense. I've read a lot of these books (or rather, attempted to read) but none have made my job as a screenwriter more clear. This is the book to get. I wasted money on Writing Treatments that Sell, no good.

This book is great.

I love this book. It gives step by step instructions on how to review your own work before you send it out to others. The only problem I found is that some of the information is spread out a little too much and you have to keep referring to the index to find the topics you need, which could break your creative flow. But that minor, overall I dont know what I would do without this book.

This book is extremely helpful! I've writen 52 pages in two months! The book goes through everything for you. A great tool.

This book is pretty much a screenwriter's bible -seriously. I don't have much experience at all in writing screenplays and I took a class that used this book. It talks about EVERYTHING from creation to selling. What more could you want? If you know how to create it (writing), and edit it (formatting) and sell it (selling your script) then what else is there? = (A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script).

By far this is the best screenwriting book on the market. When I submitted my script to my agent he laughed and asked where I learned to write. I told him that I used a couple of Syd Fields books and he laughed even harder. Not really understanding what he was laughing at, he told me to buy the Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier.

After reading it and using it as my reference tool, I realized the mistakes that Mr. Fields reference had caused and I rewrote the script I had.

Now, after years of doing it "wrong" I have had three meetings with several bigwigs in the movie industry and sold two screenplays, a couple of treatments, and am currently having a script looked at by another industry staple.

I'm not saying that it will work for everbody, but if you want people to take you seriously you have to buy this book and read it from cover to cover. Trottier shows the correct way to put everything together and thanks to him I'm making money doing what I love to do!

By far this is the best screenwriting book on the market. When I submitted my script to my agent he laughed and asked where I learned to write. I told him that I used a couple of Syd Fields books and he laughed even harder. Not really understanding what he was laughing at, he told me to buy the Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier.

After reading it and using it as my reference tool, I realized the mistakes that Mr. Fields reference had caused and I rewrote the script I had.

Now, after years of doing it "wrong" I have had three meetings with several bigwigs in the movie industry and sold two screenplays, a couple of treatments, and am currently having a script looked at by another industry staple.

I'm not saying that it will work for everbody, but if you want people to take you seriously you have to buy this book and read it from cover to cover. Trottier shows the correct way to put everything together and thanks to him I'm making money doing what I love to do!

I had never written a screenplay before and this was extremely helpful. I would definitely recommend this book. I would also recommend his screenplay software, Dr. Format. Very easy to use.

If you want to write scripts, but you don't know how, or you need to know all the standard formatting rules of Hollywood, this book is really all you need. I like how it also contains sample scripts for you to look at and compare. The writer uses these stories to show the formatting rules, so it's all tied together. Finding specific rules can be hard sometimes, but they're there if you look for them.
The 'Bible' is an appropriate term, because all you need to know about God and life is found in the Bible, and all you need to know about screenwriting is in this 'Bible'.

This book will help you write and format your script. The Screenwriter's Bible help me to see how it all works and made it easy to understand the screenwriting prosses. I always go back to the Bible to make sure I'm script writing right. It's great to read and to have to help you on your scripts. I'm glad I have it to go back to anytime for information on writing to selling your script.

This is an excellent tool for the aspiring screenwriter. It really does contain everything you need to get started. Now it's up to you whether or not you write a good script. Looking at good scripts is also helpful. Especially old scripts that are in the same genre as you are pining to write on. Good luck!

After picking through about twelve books on screenwriting at a bookstore's coffee shop, THIS is the ONLY one I needed. The rest went back on the shelf.

No joke, folks, this is one to have.

Implementing the authors suggestions keeps you on track. When I get to a stopping point in my screenplay, I just go through the book and see a step I haven't completed yet(pure lazyness, I admit) and it gets me working again.

I've noticed, there's nothing writers love writing about more than the art of writing itself.

I liked reading this book. It is well written and easy to follow. Probably the best part of the book is that the author gives a lot of examples to support whats being discussed. The "workshop" (book 2) is beneficial as well. The only thing I didnt like about the book was that if you have Final Draft, or some other screenwriting software, then you won't gain much from the 3rd book (formatting a script). Also, Screenwriter's Bible is more for the beginner writers out there, but its a solid book, regardless.

This book is great for an aspiring screenwriter; I cannot speak for those with knowledge of screenwriting, but for me,I think it is awesome! I appreciate the time the author took in assembling this material in an easy to understand manner.

Very disappointed in this purchase. High unorganized and hard to follow way to write a book. What the heck? I buy books to help me, not confuse and irritate me! Some good points but mostly my anger speaks more about this book than anything.

there are a couple great screnwriting books out there, but they don't do anything other than dictate the craft to you. This book as a workbook section that propels questions back at you to help you get your story in gear. No other book I have read has done that. It has that, plus five other huge sections that cover everything you could possibly want to know about screenwriting. Except for maybe "Creating Unforgettable Characters" by Linda Seger, this could easily be the only book you'd ever need.

I find this guide to be the cream-of-the-crop when it comes to usefulness. Easy to follow, the best step-by-step source for anyone attempting to write a screenplay. For those writing Spec. scripts, doesn't boggle the mind with various camera angles that really don't concern your initial submissions. The basic needs are emphasized here. A real inspirational read for any aspiring screenwriter.

I've read over a dozen screen writing how-to books, and this is one of the best. As an aspiring screenwriter, you need to have firm grounding in the fundamentals of the trade. David Trottier gives you that.

The best way to learn screenwriting is to read the scripts from movies you love. But if you're looking for more, like structure theory and the art of the logline, then this book is a great start.

That's right, i took away 2 whole stars because of the author's lack of organization in the book. To be fair though, i also took some points away because his writing examples (using his own spec scripts) are so incredibly bad, they had me getting pissed off at the end of the book. So it's not just the organizational problem i'm upset about.

The book is really pretty useful and filled with valuable information about how to structure your story (using many examples of movies past) how to format your script (this time using the author's own writing as a reference) and finally, how to land an agent or sell a script on your own. All of those are really very informative and the author's style works well in getting his point across. I didn't have any trouble understanding the concepts he was presenting from the first page to the last. That's very good.

My problem was, like i've already said, with the lack of organization. Someone else mentionned this in another review but i'd like to say it again. The author has you constantly jumping from one page to the next and back. It's that way throughout the book! You start your read with the first few pages and already, you see things like "i suggest you jump ahead and take a look at this or that". Well, Mr. Trottier, maybe you should have prepared the book in such a way that i could just read it like any other book? Why the hell do i have to keep jumping back and forth because he refused to take the time to get the order right in the first place?? Maybe my next script should involve me indicating to the reader that they should jump to page 64 or they won't understand the plot. Or maybe not.

Second, anyone who actually believes the examples of the author's own writing are good probably don't have a shred of hope of ever becoming a writer. I'm no genius but it doesn't take one to figure out that his script samples reek of crap. The only thing they do effectively is get his point across.

I would suggest that those interested in starting to write buy this book, just don't make it your only book. Whatever you pick up from reading it will be incredibly hard to go back to because the whole thing is so disorganized. I've often found myself wanting to re-read something i knew he had written somewhere, but couldn't find it.

For those who are experienced writers - or if you are a beginner - David Trottier's The Screenwriter's Bible will be a reference book you want on your desk. It's not one of those books you'll read cover to cover, and then file. It's a book you'll want on your desk to refer to during the writing process.
Trottier guides the writer through the process of developing characters on the page to formatting the pages into a script. He shows you, through example as well as plain instruction, how to include camera direction (without it being overblown), and how to get an agent to handle your work. It's the whole process, from your mind to the big screen.
The format of the book is clear and easy to read, and provides examples of scripts that have been successful (and why).
Trottier gets his message across through clear, concise and no-nonsense writing that never talks down to the reader.
It's a book I will use, not just for screenwriting, but in all my writing.

I used this when writing my second screenplay, which as of this writing has been optioned by one of the coproducers of DEMOLITION MAN and given to Seth Green and Owen Wilson for consideration to star in. It has in it what every screenwriter really needs when getting into this game, and that is the formatting specifications. This tells you what kind and size font to use (12-point Courier), where to set the margins (one inch top and bottom, half an inch on the right, one and a half on the left to accomodate the binding brads), how wide the dialogue passages are supposed to be, all complete with examples you can see for yourself, all things that fool Syd Field never considered to be of value during his incessant ramblings about CHINATOWN. Any creative writing class can teach you about story structure, but this will give you that professional appearance you'll need to actually get the door open.

I purchased this book from a seller here which came to me reeking of smoke and discolored.

Getting through the smell,the book kept my interest. I've searched through many books looking for the right one to study and this one explains in more detail "how to". Trottier shows you how to set your margins,dialogue, character's front page and much more. Even if you don't have a Manager or an Agent the book will show you how to sell your manuscript without them. For beginners I would tell them this book has everything you need from start to finish.

Very well put together. Chock full of information from how to write it to how to sell it. Great tool for a novice screenwriter.

I usually do not like "How To..." books when it comes to creativity. You can't learn from a book on how to write a great creative work. Sure, you can get tips on what not to do, or get ideas and concepts of what worked for current ideas. But, you need to have your own foundation to have creative ideas spring forth.

Which is why I like this book. This book will not tell you how to write your antagonist and protagonist. It will give you the foundation of your trade. If you want to get into screenwriting, you must know how to present your material. If you don't know that, then there's no way you will even get noticed. It will show you how to open scenes, write action and dialogue, how to do the basic formating of your script.

Not much else to say. If you are curious about the format for screenplays or how to turn your creative idea into a screenplay format, then this is a great place to start.