This book is great for story writers. It was recommended for me by a SToryteller to help me look at how my storytelling could be even better. This book can help anyone who wants to see in their minds and in their writing and through their voice - a better story. Easty to understand, well-written, and you'll think of all the films and stories you've ever seen and be a better judge.

this product came in perfect shape and in a timely manner. couldnt have asked for more. thank you!

My book arrived in good condition on the last possible day. My order was processed on the 25th of November and arrived on the 16th of December. The book is in good condition. I ordered from thislocation because
it is not far from NY. However, given the te it took I feel surprised. Therefore, if condition is what
matters to you I recommend this seller, however, if tIme matters then I would think twice.

I understand why McKee is a king in the literary world. His direction, ideas and instructions are priceless to anyone soaked by the writing of words. It's a book that must be on the desk of anyone sincere about their writing craft. When I learned that best selling author Eric Jerome Dickey bought this book, I had to have it and knew whatever the price it had to be worth it. It was and still is a tool I will continue to re-read and implement into my writing. I can't wait to attend one of McKee's live seminars.

Author & Poet Rachel Berry
Family Pictures

When I first started to read/listen to this (I own both the book and audio book).

I thought what a creative writing snob! In the beginning he basically tells you that if you're not going to study your craft you're an idiot. But by purchasing the book you have already proven you will study it so why the heck would he bring that up???

Well, as you read on you see very clearly that he can back up any bravado that spews from his lips... McKee is obviously a demigod of creative writing and to be perfectly honest... he has EVERY RIGHT to be a creative writing snob... hehe.

The insights he brings to the table about story and how it is crafted has completely altered the way I see every piece of media that ends up in my DVD player, on the big screen, in audio, or in the written word.

What a remarkable book... (I think the audio hits home more cleanly but the book is something else.)

If you LOVE story or just think it might be interesting this book will open your eyes to the power of words...

A spectacle to view, this book will inspire, offend, and completely deconstruct the power of stories with a kind of wisdom that can be found on a rare occasion.

If you write and haven't read this... I would argue your writing could be better... A LOT better, even if it is incredible now.

All I can say is that THIS is the book I'll take with me on a desert Island.
If you are a writer, this Book should be with you all the time. Amazing.

There are some very good books of this type available and this is one of them. I would also recommend The Art of Dramatic Writing and Hero with a Thousand Faces.

Very deep book with lots of insight into storytelling. Many other books are based on this one it seems at least in parts. Thanks for writing it!

I found the book a bit dense (or maybe I'm the one who is dense). At any rate, the info inside is a break from the traditional 'formatting and structure' books that litter the landscape. McKee's 'Story' is much more centered on the structure of storytelling, how to construct characters, and how to play out a scene so that there are many layers to the (inter)action or dialogue.

I read the book, then took his seminar. I found the book more valuable of the two because I can use it as a reference (whereas the seminar is long days covering what is in the book).

One thing to note, I found that many of the terms that he uses are simply words from his own created vocabulary with regard to structure. Many people who've read other books similar to this will start to see a pattern of authors being authoritative (and sounding such) because they are calling a 'first plot point' an 'inciting incident' or something of that nature. Often, the two are interchangeable... it's just that the writer is using his own term for the same thing taught - but labeled differently - by others elsewhere.

Ultimately, I think it's a good book, well worth the read for the character sections alone. It's also a worthwhile read for anyone in the written arts... novelists would probably benefit from some of the information.

I was holding off on starting a new project until I had read the book (and taken in the seminar). I'm glad I waited, because I can already see the improvements in my characters and dialogue.

Good luck. Write lots.

Not done reading through the whole book yet so I won't go into the details too much! Nevertheless, I've read enough already to know that this book is a MUST read for anyone hoping to take a shot at writing for the screen. Robert McKee is a master of his craft, and through this book he shares it all. Read it!

Great book! My 18 year old son is interested in film making and this is a great tool for him.

I enjoyed this book and the way the author showed examples and helped the reader to understand how to structure screenplays. He has good ideas, helpful methods, and a relaxing way of writing that inspires the reader.

This book will help you if you are a writer or want to be a writer. Even though it is about screenwriting it will still aid you with ideas, thought processes and presentation. Sometimes writers can just get STUCK.

I've been in the news/PR business all of my life, wrote hard news, feature stories, puff pieces, speeches, you name it. I really want to write a novel and have a lot of ideas for it. I first got this book from the library. Since it is primarily directed at screenwriting I wasn't sure it would help me on writing a novel.

But the title really says it all. The book is so good I bought a copy on Amazon. I wanted to own a copy to go over and highlight thoughts and go back again and again to mull things over............ Yes, it's that good.

One thing, the author does a lot of praising of successful movie scripts. (It IS about screenwriting after all.) So if you are like me and it gets a little dull and repetitious for you there just speed around the "praise and glory for all concerned" segments about how great this or that movie was. You'll still gain what you are looking for.

The book was in perfect conditions and arrived on time.
Moreover, the description was reliable and it was really what I needed.

Thanks to the seller for courtesy and professionality.

I have taken writing classes and have read a bit about the craft of writing. I found McKee's book to be an easy read - clearly written and organized and loaded with useful information that I repeatedly reference. Being a poet, I was especially taken with his passing comment regarding writing structure and how poets tend to have a better understanding of structure. I always express it as viewing writing as sculpture - working it until it's right. This book has helped me with form, concise expression, focus with settings, better understanding of genres and plots, and to never treat anything as too precious. McKee's information has helped me streamline my poetry, short stories, and non-fiction. My approach to my writing and my work itself has improved in a short time due to reading STORY. The read made me want to take McKee's class. Every writer should own this book.

I've been to his seminar and this book covers everything he talks about at the seminar in good detail. The seminar is still well worth it as it drives everything home with real world examples.

Can't compare it to other books as I have not read many. I liked 'Save The Cat! a lot - but that is more of an outline to work from. This is the underlying theory.

Should be helpful to writers in any genre.

very good book with very interesting tips even for writers. i learned a lot. thnak you.

I've read a lot of fiction help books, but most of them are geared at the mechanics and tricks of fiction. None of them, in my opinion, philosophically tackles the concept of story telling and how stories work. Instead, they give tips and techniques like "put in rising conflict" or "make your characters likeable"
In STORY, Rob McKee tells us, from a conceptual, historical & technical view, what story is, how it works and how to make it work. He writes with authority and depth. It is clear that the man has put a tremendous amount of thought into the subject and that he genuinely cares about good story telling.
I have gained a lot of insight from this book. Almost every paragraph has something to take away from it. I'd definitely recommend this book, to both prose and screen writers.

This is the only book on screenwriting I have read thus far, and, frankly, it would take a lot for me to read another. I have gained invaluable understanding of the screenwriting process with this book. I reference it continuously and am not disappointed. I find McKee's advice to be straight forward, easy to understand, and adapt.

I'm sorry but I find it almost insulting that someone would stand up on an orange box and preach about a subject that he knows NOTHING about. To me that's the definition of a scam artist.

I have dozens upon dozens of screenwriting books and most of them are mediocre at best. The problem: Most are also written by people who haven't sold anything! How do these publishing companies keep allowing these non-screenwriters to publish books about screenwriting?

Ask yourself this: If you are trying to put together a model airplane, would you read the instructions by someone who has never done it before? If you were trying to rebuild a carburetor, would you read the book by the dude who knows nothing about cars or carburetors?

No, you wouldn't! (I hope.)

After wasting so much money on these wannabe snakeoil salesmen who are selling books about writing and yet have never sold anything, I've learned to stick with ONLY those who have been successful. After all, many of us who are aspiring to make it as writers don't want to read about other wannabe's 'theories' on how to make it as a writer, do we?

I've found two successful screenwriters who are worth reading: Blake Snyder and Cynthia Whitcomb. Their books are exceptional and worth reading several times over.

My advice: Instead of wasting your time reading books by people who TEACH and DON'T DO, find books only by people who have actually done it and are successful. Why read anything else? Doesn't make sense, does it?

Regarding Robert McKee, the guy hasn't 'done it' so why bother with him to begin with? If his 'theories' are so fabulous then why hasn't he been successful? Theories sound nice on paper but unless they are workable and something you can actually be successful with, they're worthless.

I just feel sorry for all the people who have been duped by McKee and who think the guy knows what he's talking about. Being that blinded could easily set your career back a decade or more. Beware of the snakeoil salesman. He can make you believe you are on the right track when really you are wasting a ton of time.

Fantastic content and narrative! McGee's book is awesome however the Audio CD really brings it all to life. Candidly, I'm surprised Robert is also so talented narrating the audio - this is a must-have purchase, even if you've already bought is book "Story".

Mckee's book is famous and hardly needs someone like me to review it. This is the bible of screenwriting. With that said, there are a lot of basics in here that advanced screenwriters always follow, but are beyond. It is a quick and interesting read that you will benefit from. After reading it, pick up the film Adaptation and laugh out loud.

By far the best book about the crafting of stories. McKee provides insights into story development that I haven't found in any other volume on screenwriting. Helped me immensely to be able to recognize viable plot lines, and understand why some stories just don't work. This is not a book for the beginning writer; it doesn't deal with such 101 stuff as script formatting. Rather, it's a higher level text for writers who have some knowledge of the craft. I go back again and again to this book.

While most everyone who works in Screenplay is familiar with Syd Field. Robert McKee I have found has a much less wordy and practical approach to understanding writing not only in movies which is the best use for this text but novels as well. Must read for anyone who writes anything.

The world would have far better stories that abused the tried and true archetypes a lot less if people would just read this book.

Some spots of this text can be long and some subjects can be kind of confusing. But this text is very good in detail about what things good screen writers should do and some things that they shouldn't do when writing screenplays. The fundamentals about writing good solid stories and coming up with ideas to create characters and have empathy for all the characters one creates in their screenplays. This is a must ready for any person that wants to become a screen-writer.

There is no need to repeat any of the comments about how truly great this book is, but I do want to say something about the few negative reviews of this book. Namely, that it was written w/ a huge dose of ego, and that it is a hard read. To put it simply, I have read literaly dozens of books on writing, and some certainly were nothing more than an excuse to tell everyone that the author was a writing-god. However, this is not one of those books. I didn't read a bit of ego into McKee's writing, but he does tell what he believes to be the truth of story design. After reading this book, I tend to agree with him. As far as being hard to read and understand, I just don't get this opinion. This book reads as straightforward as any work about the concepts of writing, and actually is easier to understand than many others. STORY is as good as it seems...a must read for writers and directors.

Screenwriter Robert McKee is an infectious evangelist on the importance of story in people's lives. His understanding is almost biblical in his perception on how humans are wired (e.g. the stories of the Old Testament, the parables of Jesus). Though primarily written for screenwriters, this tome includes the basic elements and structures every story must possess in order to engage an audience. Gaps and arcs and spines...it's all heady stuff and McKee breathes life into his calling by using real-life movie scripts and breaking his concepts into easy-to-understand building blocks that even a non-English major/electrical engineer like me can find comfort in. This text is indispensable and inspirational and I went back to it constantly during the 18 months it took to write my book. I only wish there was a hundred more pages for more movie scripts.

The first thing you must know about Robert Mckee is: this man has never sold a movie script to a producer, ¡never!. This guru has only written 3 TV scripts. The book of Mckee has some very interesting ideas, but you must be careful. Mckee has a very dogmatic character and all the time he believes to have the truth, the "only truth". The best of the Mckee ideas is the defense of the book "Poetics", written by Aristotle. "Poetics" is a classic where we can find the theory about the 3 acts and the resolution of the plot with the climax. Aristotle created the definition of "Deux ex-machina", a correct idea that Mckee defends. Another right thing of this writer is his emphasis in the mystery and the enigma for catch the interest of the audience.

There is no doubt that in "Story" you can find a lot of very interesting techniques about how a script must be written; but you must be careful. Robert Mckee is not god; sometimes he can be wrong, like all the men. If you are interested in movie scripts you must read this great book, but don't believe all the words of Mckee. Think by yourself.

The first thing you must know about Robert Mckee is: this man has never sold a movie script to a producer, ¡never!. This guru has only written 3 TV scripts. The book of Mckee has some very interesting ideas, but you must be careful. Mckee has a very dogmatic character and all the time he believes to have the truth, the "only truth". The best of the Mckee ideas is the defense of the book "Poetics", written by Aristotle. "Poetics" is a classic where we can find the theory about the 3 acts and the resolution of the plot with the climax. Aristotle created the definition of "Deux ex-machina", a correct idea that Mckee defends. The writer also puts emphasis in the mystery and the enigma for catch the interest of the audience.

There is no doubt that in "Story" you can find a lot of very interesting techniques about how a script must be written; but you must be careful. Robert Mckee is not god; sometimes he can be wrong, like all the men. If you are interested in movie scripts you must read this great book, but don't believe all the words of Mckee. Think by yourself.

Robert Mckee's book on screenplay is the best I have known so far. Yes indeed, this book is a masterpiece!

McKee points out that in this day and age, the process of story telling has been near forgotten. Universities teach the effect of film and not the process behind it. McKee knows the fundamental aspects of story and points them out concisely and poignantly. So many people have a problem with McKee because he points out the painful truth to struggling writers and people just don't want to hear it. The fact is, he states many times that there ARE no RULES only patterns that every writer needs to know and master.

This is the quintessential screenwriter's bible. I've written tons of screenplays, and I still refer to this book again and again. If this isn't in your library, you're not serious about writing for film/TV!

Transforming a lifetime of short stories to screenplays has become my focus. Struggling with story, my son told me he had a teacher in film school suggest this book. It helped him. Now its helping me. Hopefully, you'll be next. Screenplays are perplexing if you've always written in short story or book form. McKee assists in making the necessary thought revisions you must in order to succeed.

I bought this book three years ago, I keep referring to it whenever I am stuck in a script problem.I like the scene structure part very much, it is very focused, easy and helpful.

This is not a kind of book that you would read in the bus station or in one session.It is a lifetime friend once you decided to be a screenwriter.I am strongly convinced that "Story"is most useful for film and TV writers and not for any other writing genre.

Buy it, read it, re-read it and start writing knowing that it is a long journey.

If you can look past the contradictions, McKee's enormous ego, and writing as coherent and clear as that in Dianetics, you will occasionally find a helpful insight in this book.

In my experience books tested and proven before being written tend to be the best. A prime example - Angela's Ashes, won the Pulitzer Prize, fine tuned by the author McCourt doing a one man show talking about his wicked cruel childhood, growing up in Limerick, Ireland.

In the same way, Story evolved out of McKee giving lectures, and now, he continues to spread the word.

McKee is definitely an antagonist as opposed to a protagonist, and in person a funny and engaging fellow, and an excellent teacher. As you might expect, he does know how to tell a funny story, and he had a little fun at the expense of some of the sacred cows in the industry. I particularly liked his rant about Roger Ebert, who took his name in vain once but never again.

Anyway, the book shines a bright light on the elements of story. Conflict is to story what sound is to music. Story trumps dialogue in importance. Setups, payoffs, turning points, structure, inciting incident, protagonist vs antagonist, resonating and contrasting subplot, negation of the negation. Emotional value of scenes. Arc of the character. Act structure, rhythm and pacing. Text and subtext, beats, exposition. Character, dimension, step outline. All this and so much more.

Perhaps the most important single thing I learned from McKee is..treatment. The character treatment may be twice as long as the screenplay. This is the key difference between aspiring screenwriters, and successful ones.

I open my book, and look at his personal inscription to me, which I am sure he has written to many others... "Write the truth." I will, Mr McKee, I will.

If you were to find this review helpful, please click yes.

In my experience books tested and proven before being written tend to be the best. A prime example - Angela's Ashes, won the Pulitzer Prize, and was fine tuned by the author McCourt doing a one man show talking about his wicked cruel childhood, growing up in Limerick, Ireland.

In the same way, Story evolved out of McKee giving lectures, and now, having written the book he continues to spread the word.

McKee is definitely an antagonist as opposed to a protagonist, and in person a funny and engaging fellow, and an excellent teacher. As one might expect, he does know how to tell a funny story, and he had a little fun at the expense of some of the sacred cows in the industry. I particularly liked his rant about Roger Ebert, who took his name in vain once but never again.

Anyway, the book shines a bright light on the elements of story. Conflict is to story what sound is to music. Story trumps dialogue in importance. Setups, payoffs, turning points, structure, inciting incident, protagonist vs antagonist, resonating and contrasting subplot, negation of the negation. Emotional value of scenes. Arc of the character. Act structure, rhythm and pacing. Text and subtext, beats, exposition. Character, dimension, step outline. All this and so much more.

Perhaps the most important single thing I learned from Mc Kee is..treatment. The character treatment may be twice as long as the screenplay. This is the key difference between aspiring screenwriters, and successful ones.

I open my book, and look at his personal inscription to me, which I am sure he has written to many others... "Write the truth." I will, Mr McKee, I will.

If you were to find this review helpful, please click yes.

If one were to read Joseph Campbell's, A Hero With a Thousand Faces, and Story, you would have the foundations (not formula) for understanding why story telling is such a powerful medium for communicating eternal truths. McKee says all people have an insatiable appetite for story. We can't get enough of them.

When I wrote my first screen play it was fun and then I realized I needed education but didn't want to go to school. This book was the right read. McKee is a master - giving wonderfully reasonable examples of what works or doesn't. Certainly a novice screenwriter will benefit greatly.

Being a playwright, I had had many reservations about transferring my interior visions into a potential movie.
This book covers the basics and gives details as to the 'what' and 'how' of script writing.
I enjoyed his explanations and candar on the theories about what each extreme (artistic vs commercial films) on the cinematic scale thinks and supposes of each other.
It cuts through every excuse one has for not getting to the plotting and writing; a fantastc sense of equality.
I am a believer!
The key is a good story.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.

It's a page turner. Not only does it talk about story structure , but the real joy is discovering McKee's insights into human nature .

Through reading this book I have been fortunate enought to write 7 plays and have them publicly produced. It is the best book to read if you have interest in writing. I have since bought many other writing books and still it is McKee's book that I go back to, to read when I'm struggling with a play or screenplay.
It's my writing bible, my copy is all dogged tailed and has marks all over it. If you're serious about writing this is the book for you. I have like bought it over half a dozen times and given it to friends.

If you are serious about creating a STORY, in the real sense this book is for you.

This book was forced on my by a friend 3 years ago. He told me that the first three chapters were hard, but stick with it. And he was right this is the most amazing boook for a writer and those interested in story structure.

It's a page turner. Not only does it talk about story structure , but the real joy is discovering McKee's insights into human nature .

Through reading this book I have been fortunate enought to write 7 plays and have them publicly produced. It is the best book to read if you have interest in writing. I have since bought many other writing books and still it is McKee's book that I go back to, to read when I'm struggling with a play or screenplay.
It's my writing bible, my copy is all dogged tailed and has marks all over it. If you're serious about writing this is the book for you. I have like bought it over half a dozen times and given it to friends.

If you are serious about creating a STORY, in the real sense this book is for you.

McKee's book is tremendously thought-provoking and it's well worth taking a great deal of time to digest his ideas and advice. For anyone who is seriously interested in thinking about what makes a story worth reading or watching, this is one of the best books available.

1. If you don't like formulas, this is the place for you.

The author is against using formulas as screenwriting tools. Instead, he gives you the tools to build your screenplay with the freedom you sure crave for.


2. The author knows his stuff.

From page one to the very last one you'll get world-class information about screenwriting. It is evident that the author has read some of the very best books on dramaturgy ever.


3. He will even tell you how you can build a screenplay, the master's way.

Most beginners may learn everything about structure. They can learn the proper format of a screenplay. But the truth be told, there's something missing. The author will explain that in his chapter about the method of writing successful screenplays. Just the way the pros do it!


4. Ain't that brilliant!

If you have read a lot of screenwriting books, you might find yourself already knowing most of the information in the book. Yet, there are some paragraphs that are absolutely brilliant. They alone are worth the price of the book by far. When you read the book, read it very carefully, you don't one to miss those amazing lines.


5. The endorsements for the book are of the highest regard.

Many, many screenwriters and screenwriting teachers have this book on the top of their list. The book is so great that it's even been translated to other languages.


6. The book has become such a classic that if you go to a top screenwriter's meeting the author or his book might come up one moment or another in the conversation.

If you want to make a lasting impression, don't read it. I mean, if you want to make a bad lasting impression. That's how important it is to read this book. Even if you already know everything there is to know about screenwriting, you still need to get this one. It's a must for your screenwriting culture and education.


7. The book is inspiring.

It's about artists and not technicians. It is about the love of movies and not money. It is about confidence, and not artistic suicide.


Extra tip: If you want to know more about other classic books on dramaturgy, read Write that play, and Theory and technique of playwriting and screenwriting.

ENJOY!

Fortunately, this is the first book about screenwriting I read. And I say fortunately because after reading many many books (some bad, some good) it became quite clear that if I had started with another book I might not have liked screenwriting at all. What I mean is that when I began thinking that I wanted to become a screenwriter, if I had read some of those lousy books out there I might very well had given up on the fine art of screenwriting.

This book will give you knowledge as well as inspiration. I actually read it three times before reading anything else. I don't care if the author has never written a screenply himself. His explanations and concepts are extremely insightful and inspiring.

Now, I will share a secret with you... I'll tell you about some pretty darn good dramatic authors who can help you improve a lot...

Gosh! I shouldn't share their names with you... I certainly don't want more competition out there. I guess I admire these authors so much that I can't but recommend them.

So, here goes my secret:

If you want to find excellent books on dramatic writing you might want to take a look at all my reviews of other books I've read. These are the secret books almost no one is telling you about!

There are two things you need to know before you read this book. First, Robert McKee is not a produced screenwrtier. As a result, there is a sense of bitterness throughout this book. But McKee does write books and holds seminars on how to write a screenplay. The fact that he his unproduced is pointed out by many of his critics, many of them produced screenwriters.
Second, it helps if you watch at least two of the movies he analyzes in the book. They are Casablanca [HD DVD] and Chinatown. It would also be of help to watch any movies directed and/or written by Ingmar Bergman. Other movies of interest would be Kramer vs. Kramerand Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983 & 2004 versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition). If you do not, you will be saddened for the book does contain spoilers for these movies.
The book is well written and concentrates solely on structure and developing your plot into a well written script. He does mention the necessities of what you must include or in some cases, exclude. Advice for writng in different genres is also included. Explanation is furthured by referencing and analyzing the above mentioned movies.
But if you are new to writing screeplays, you will need to read another book on format, such as David Trottier's excellent book,The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script--which is quite important on seling your script and to many an important factor.
Also, the scripts he analyzes are the final scripts. Many scripts that are sold have been rewritten numerous times before they even go into filming.
The basic flaw of this book is this, a well written structured screenplay does not mean a guaranteed sell. Producers are always looking for high concept stories. In other words, ones that will bring in the big dollars.
You can keep this book at your desk for ready reference as he recommends at the end, but in reality it is all about your story that will sell. The bottom line is write because you love or enjoy it and you have a great story to tell.

I found Robert McKee's book STORY to be very helpful. Although it comes at the development of storyline from a screenwriters perspective there is plenty enough powerful information here to benefit every writer who wishes to hone their craft, whether they be screenwriter or not.

I am currently using Robert's insightful revelation of STORY: elements of a great story via effective use of plot-types, proper structures, intriguing character development, etc ... Plus it reveals to you ways to keep your STORY moving at a vivid, movie-like pace. It's all here in STORY!

Thank You Robert for your work in STORY. As an Author of Middle-Grade to Young-Adult novels myself, the need for great STORY is ever present. I have used your advice in the development of my EAFIN LOKDORE TRILOGY commencing with BOOK I - EAFIN LOKDORE and the MAGICIAN'S LOST MEDALLION.

Sincerely,
R.G. Edwards
[...]

Don't get me wrong, this is a book that every screenwriter should read, but... I find myself at odds many times when reading it. First look at Robert McKee's IMDb listing. Here is a man who has NOT written a number of award-winning screenplays. I also believe that many of his observations about movies (and Hamlet) are just plain wrong... citing his opinion as fact. Unfortunately there are not many good books on the subject of screenwriting as the good screenwriters are writing screenplays rather than books about how to write screenplays. In the book's defense there are great insights about developing interesting characters and the need for conflict.

Like most people who have studied film, he puts too much stock in the classics. Not that they are not to be admired, but if you look deep enough you will find flaws with them as well.

All in all a good read but a little long for the actual information content. Still the best book on the subject of story writing in my opinion is "Backwards & Forwards" by David Ball if you're lucky enough to find it. I've also found that "The Screenwriter's Workbook" by Syd Fieldd gets a lot more use especially when you're trying to write your first few screenplays.

Heaven forbid this book ever be confined to the world of screenwriters. I have been reading 'writing' books for the last fifteen years, and probably 40 or so have been read cover to cover. This is THE book I was always looking for and never realised until i read it. It is written with such depth and unparalleled understanding of story that I have read it 3 times through, noting every chapter, highlighter in hand, just to absorb all of its mouthwatering lessons. Every facet of storytelling is demystified.