Best Screenwriting Books & Resources

First off, my apologies if this isn't quite the right spot for this. I should probably have posted this somewhere else entirely. But here I am, trying my luck among people who actually have some skin in the game when it comes to the film industry. Maybe someone here has a bit of insight...

The thing is, I’ve developed an interest in screenwriting, though my knowledge of it is practically nonexistent. I want to start digging into it properly and find a direction. Beyond that, I just love studying the art of cinema. It’s more of a passion for me than anything else...

If anyone could point me toward some decent reading material... maybe a link or just some general advice. Is there anyone else out there feeling the same way? I’d really appreciate it.

You can find various scripts right here: http://www.imsdb.com/

Let’s kick things off in the most straightforward way possible! I’d say the best way to start is exactly how I would approach it myself—just typing "how to write a script" right into the Google search bar. To me, that feels like a total bullseye for a starting point. Good luck, everyone! 🙂

http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Script

Sean Watson11 said:First off, my apologies—I probably should have posted this elsewhere. But here I am, trying my luck among people actually involved in the film industry. Maybe someone here has some actual insight...

The thing is, I'm interested in screenwriting, but I'm essentially starting from zero. I want to start digging in and find a direction. Beyond that, I just love studying film; it's more of a passion for me.

If anyone could recommend some reading material, a link, or even just a bit of advice, I’d appreciate it. Is anyone else here pursuing this? Any help would be great.

I've always wanted to make a movie. Okay, maybe not "always," but certainly for a long time now. That brings us back to screenwriting. I've had plenty of ideas, but none of them have ever made it past the mental stage. For now, it remains one of those unfulfilled ambitions. 😁

Good luck with the script. 😁

What kind of themes or genres are you into? You can find scripts for countless movies online if you want to see how the structure actually looks. I eventually picked up some software to make the process easier—it's called Final Draft.

I just caught the link silentcanyon58 posted. It’s actually really informative and well-explained. Also, regarding that other link where you can read scripts—I'm currently studying the script for '89 Batman. 😁

Honestly, I’d love to sell my story as a script. If anyone out there is actually skilled with special effects and doesn't mind diving into those mythic, romantic sagas—think stuff like Game of Thrones, Vikings, or Lord of the Rings... it would definitely need a pretty high production value. Or maybe just put together a flashy trailer to pitch to some major production houses, though I have my doubts about whether it would actually take off

You can basically boil down the action in any movie into seven core themes.

And setting scripts aside, let's talk a little about the filming process
...

Before you even think about sitting down to write a script, you really ought to brush up on your grammar...

Screenwriting Literature

If you don't have one specific favorite, just go grab the scripts for your favorite movies and read them. Or, look up some of those Oscar winners—just skim through them to get a feel for how a professional layout actually looks.
When it comes to software, Final Draft is really the gold standard because it handles all that annoying formatting for you. That said, you can totally just use Microsoft Word, or even start out writing it like a novel. Honestly, at this stage, just getting the story down on paper is what matters most.
I don't personally lean on a lot of screenwriting textbooks, but if you’re looking for something, there’s always Screenwriting for Dummies 😁
My advice? Don't get bogged down in the technical weeds right away. Forget about camera angles and shot compositions for now; just focus on fleshing out your story.
You might want to dive into some books on film theory, like the fundamentals from Ante Petrelić or some of the works by Ivo škrabalo. It's more about the essence of cinema, but it’ll definitely give you a better perspective.

Look, there isn't much magic wisdom to hand out here. At the end of the day, a killer idea and a solid story are everything; the rest is much easier to figure out later.
As William Friedkin, the director behind The French Connection, famously put it: "leave film school and study Alfred Hitchcock."

Ethan Palmer61 said:Go grab the scripts for your favorite movies—or if you don't have any favorites, just look up the Oscar winners. Read them. Just enough to get a feel for how it actually looks on the page.
The gold standard for screenwriting software is Final Draft; it’s got all those specific formatting tools you'll need. That said, you could always just use Microsoft Word, or even start by writing it like a novel. At the beginning, honestly, just getting the story down on paper is plenty.
I don't really follow much screenwriting literature myself, though there's always that Screenwriting for Dummies book if you're really feeling the urge... 😁
Look, don't kill yourself over technicalities right out of the gate. Camera angles and all that stuff? Forget it. Just focus on developing the story first.
You could dive into some books on film theory, maybe check out some film theory basics or work by Ivo škrabalo. It's more about the medium itself, but it’ll definitely help you out.

Bottom line, there isn't a ton of deep wisdom here. A solid idea and a good story are everything. The rest comes later.
As William Friedkin, the director behind La Française, once put it: "leave film school and study Alfred Hitchcock."

Actually, I've spent years writing short stories, but I've never been particularly interested in publishing them just to break into the literary scene. What really draws me is the process of adapting stories into a cinematic format.

I see myself as a storyteller at heart. I'm just looking for a way to try and craft a shootable script. Of course, it'll be completely amateurish at first... just me working with someone who knows how to handle a camera and has a basic grasp of music software, effects, and things like that.

To everyone responding: thanks a lot for the links and the advice. I've taken note of everything, and now I'm heading off on this little adventure of discovery.

Frank Richardson said:I’ve always had this burning desire to make a movie. Well, maybe not "always," but certainly for a long time now. Mostly, it comes down to the scriptwriting side of things. I’ve had plenty of ideas, but I’ve never actually brought any of them to life. For now, it’s just one of those unfulfilled life ambitions... 😁

And good luck with the script work. 😁

What kind of themes or genres are you into? You can find script examples for all sorts of movies online to get a feel for how they're structured. I actually downloaded a program a while back to make the writing process easier; it's called Final Draft.

I just caught the link that silentcanyon58 posted. It’s actually really educational and well-explained. And that other link where you can read scripts too... I’m currently obsessing over the script for '89 Batman. 😁

Thanks, Frank. Mine is still just a vague concept at this stage... nothing concrete planned yet. Just a vision of how the stories I've been writing for years might look on screen. I’d want to shoot something aesthetically dark, mysterious. Experimental. What is a person even supposed to do when they're just starting out?

Sean Watson11 said:Thanks, Frank Richardson. This is just a rough concept for now—nothing concrete yet. I’m mostly just trying to capture the vision of the stories I’ve been working on for years. If I actually pull the trigger, the aesthetic would be dark, moody, and heavy on mystery. He experimented.What should someone do when they're just starting out?

What should you do? Exactly what you just said. Experiment. Do you have anyone in your circle who shares this interest? Try something. And make sure it doesn't just stay an idea. Good luck. 😁

Sean Watson11 said:Thanks, Matthew. This is really just a rough concept for now... I don't have a concrete plan yet. It's more of a vision of how the stories I've been writing for years might actually look. I'd want to shoot something aesthetically dark, something mysterious. Just experimenting. What else is there for someone starting out to do?

Since this subforum is dedicated to film, feel free to reach out if you're interested.