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karenholmes's review
4.0
I tend to read (or re-read) a few books about writing every year. Sometimes I do it for fun, but most of the times I'm doing it to find some clues for something I'm writing or want to write at the moment or the near future. In this case, this is a bit of a NaNoWriMo prep... I want to be able to have a loose structure and see where everything fits, but for now it hasn't done the trick.
Anyway, it is a fun book, it's easily read and it works. As a writer you can find pieces of wisdom and you may find the clue to fix a story. It's aimed at screen writers but novelists can benefit from it too. In certain way, it also reminds me of Alexandra Sokoloff's approach to stoy.
Anyway, it is a fun book, it's easily read and it works. As a writer you can find pieces of wisdom and you may find the clue to fix a story. It's aimed at screen writers but novelists can benefit from it too. In certain way, it also reminds me of Alexandra Sokoloff's approach to stoy.
lightningmc_logyn's review
challenging
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
The advice was practical for the most part and informative. However, the authors tone bothered me. It felt like he was talking down to the audience in a lighthearted way, but ultimately something I don’t like. I still got great value out of it, and it helped me as I co-wrote a film screenplay
leonard_gaya's review
4.0
This is a "how to" handbook, targeting aspiring screenwriters, composed by a man who actually has some track record in writing comedy scripts for Hollywood.
It basically guides the reader through all the stages of writing for the movie industry: how to turn an idea into a marketable "logline"; how to fall within a given genre (Snyder suggests an interesting genres taxonomy, based on what actually happens in the story); how to build a protagonist (again, he offers an original vision of characters archetypes); how to set up the story structure following a 15 steps "Beat Sheet" (Snyder follows the 3 acts framework already put forward in Syd Field's [b:Screenwriter's Workbook|1525896|The Screenwriter's Workbook|Syd Field|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388860263s/1525896.jpg|1517834]); how to lay out the 40 (sic!) scenes of a movie on a pin-board (that's, in my view, probably the most interesting and practical part of this book); how to avoid common pitfalls and how to double-check one's work.
It is, in the end, a very enjoyable read (Snyder is a very upbeat chap!), although I can't help but think that following his advice to the letter might lead to somewhat formulaic results... such, of course, that might be most bankable in Hollywood land -or in mainstream publishing land, for that matter!
It basically guides the reader through all the stages of writing for the movie industry: how to turn an idea into a marketable "logline"; how to fall within a given genre (Snyder suggests an interesting genres taxonomy, based on what actually happens in the story); how to build a protagonist (again, he offers an original vision of characters archetypes); how to set up the story structure following a 15 steps "Beat Sheet" (Snyder follows the 3 acts framework already put forward in Syd Field's [b:Screenwriter's Workbook|1525896|The Screenwriter's Workbook|Syd Field|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388860263s/1525896.jpg|1517834]); how to lay out the 40 (sic!) scenes of a movie on a pin-board (that's, in my view, probably the most interesting and practical part of this book); how to avoid common pitfalls and how to double-check one's work.
It is, in the end, a very enjoyable read (Snyder is a very upbeat chap!), although I can't help but think that following his advice to the letter might lead to somewhat formulaic results... such, of course, that might be most bankable in Hollywood land -or in mainstream publishing land, for that matter!
magfaerie's review
3.0
As recommended by my film professor, I read it. Did not love it, seemed shallow and inane, but had some most likely good advice! I like that Snyder writes in his own voice so casually. Good start to writing what is most likely base-level, corporate drivel. Structure is scientific in a way, and therefore provides a starting point. Some misogynistic ideas as well.
vignesh_pandian's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0