The creator of the television science-fiction series "Babylon 5" presents a guide to writing and selling screenplays, television plays, theatrical plays, radio scripts and animation scripts. He explains how to structure and lay out the scripts, provides a guide to terminology used by the industry, and offers advice on getting work seen by the right people. The book also includes the complete script of a "Babylon 5" episode, "The Coming of Shadows", for which Straczynski won the Hugo Award.
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A brief word from the author....
In 1981, I wrote and published, via WD Books, the kind of book that I wished someone had written when I was trying to break into writing for the media (television, film, radio and other venues). My hope was that the book would give others that leg-up in a terribly difficult field. The original edition of the book sold almost 40,000 copies and became one of WD Books' all time best sellers...and a standard text at a number of colleges and universities. Subsequent to its publication, I heard from many writers who managed to break into the business using the book, which made all the effort worthwhile. But the business changes...and after about 5 years, I let the book go out of print until I could afford the time to revise it, make it more current, more useful (what's the point otherwise?). The "revised" edition became the "rewritten" edition. Over the course of the last 4 years, I've revised the book stem to stern, totally rewriting nearly every chapter, and adding about 100,000 words to the book, with updated information and chapters on agents, animation, and other new areas. The book also contains the Hugo-Award winning script for the BABYLON 5 episode, "The Coming of Shadows." It is my hope that you will enjoy the book. I intended for it to be useful, and to be an enjoyable read. Good luck with your own writing. I hope THE COMPLETE BOOK OF SCRIPTWRITING will light your path just a little on that voyage. J. Michael Straczynski Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF SCRIPTWRITING Writer/Producer, BABYLON 5, MURDER SHE WROTE and others --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
In 1981, I wrote and published, via WD Books, the kind of book that I wished someone had written when I was trying to break into writing for the media (television, film, radio and other venues). My hope was that the book would give others that leg-up in a terribly difficult field. The original edition of the book sold almost 40,000 copies and became one of WD Books' all time best sellers...and a standard text at a number of colleges and universities. Subsequent to its publication, I heard from many writers who managed to break into the business using the book, which made all the effort worthwhile. But the business changes...and after about 5 years, I let the book go out of print until I could afford the time to revise it, make it more current, more useful (what's the point otherwise?). The "revised" edition became the "rewritten" edition. Over the course of the last 4 years, I've revised the book stem to stern, totally rewriting nearly every chapter, and adding about 100,000 words to the book, with updated information and chapters on agents, animation, and other new areas. The book also contains the Hugo-Award winning script for the BABYLON 5 episode, "The Coming of Shadows." It is my hope that you will enjoy the book. I intended for it to be useful, and to be an enjoyable read. Good luck with your own writing. I hope THE COMPLETE BOOK OF SCRIPTWRITING will light your path just a little on that voyage. J. Michael Straczynski Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF SCRIPTWRITING Writer/Producer, BABYLON 5, MURDER SHE WROTE and others --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
If you want to get technical about it, television dates back to 1915, when Guglielmo Marconi—who in 1894 transmitted the first radio signals— predicted the rise of "visible telephones," devices that could transmit pictures over the air or through wires for great distances. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
If you want to get technical about it, television dates back to 1915, when Guglielmo Marconi—who in 1894 transmitted the first radio signals— predicted the rise of "visible telephones," devices that could transmit pictures over the air or through wires for great distances. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
As well as creating the multi-award winning Babylon 5 Television series, J. Michael Straczynski has given seminars and advice on screenwriting for some years.
As writer, scripr editor and producer his experience spans a variety of programme styles including cartoon animation, straight drama and science fiction. This comes through loud and clear in this volume, the second edition of 'The Complete Guide to Scriptwriting.
Straczynski teaches by example, dealing with technique for all types of script. Chapter by chapter he deals with a different topic, telling you how to write for each type, how to sell - even how to draw up your own contracts.
The information he gives on structure and layout is invaluable - script readers are pedantic beyond belief.
Straczynski comes across as honest, open and plain speaking. He tells you what will work and what will not - and teaches you to review your own work objectively.
Obviously there is an American bias to all the information, but this will be a valuable reference tome for all budding writers. Accept no substitutes - learn from the master!
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is perfect for writers at all levels. Providing a good history to the subject and telling you all you need to know in the fields of Animation, Comics and Screenwriting. Not all of this may be applicable to you (it wasn't to me), but Straczynski has had success in all those fields from He-Man to Murder She Wrote to Babylon 5 to The Amazing Spiderman. One of the few screenwriting book actually written by someone who is doing well. So many are written by people who present a lot of seminars but haven't sold anything. LISTEN TO THIS MAN - success and quality are a rare commodity!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A weighty tome, laced with a good use of metaphor and language. It givesreasonable guidance on the importance of format, though American readerswill find it more useful than Europeans in this respect. It's cautionarytone helps keep the budding writer on his/her toes, always avoiding thestarry-eyed bull and bluster that is often typical of this type of book. Significant chunks of this book however, bear little relevance to theneeds of non-Americans, and that is where it falls short slightly. Alliedto that, his chroncling of TV history is outrageously US-centric. Baird,the Beeb and Alexandra Palace don't even merit a mention. If I wereAmerican, I'd probably give it a 5-star rating. As a Brit, it'shistorical bias and lack of a global perspective prompts me to give it a3.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
JMS's book is definitely worth a look, but unfortunately it tries to cover a little too much. This means that some of the topics are only covered piece-meal. However, if you're serious about `getting into the industry' then grab the book. It has some valuable lessons inside.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
HELL YES!
This book gives you *suggestions* for story and structure, without cramming some step-by-step stifling "guaranteed" method down your throat. JMS's advice is open-ended and encourages you to strike out on your own and write unique, one-of-a-kind scripts that are completely yours. No Syd Field type "paradigm", no top secret formula that the author claims can be found in ALL successful movies (or TV shows or cartoons or plays...)--No BS!
But what this book does best is function as a reference for a wide variety of script formats and styles, from television to radio to the stage to the screen (even cartoons are covered). The book gives you ideas on how to market your particular script, helps the reader to decide what kind of story he'd like to tell or what kind of script he'd like to write, even gives you some ideas of what to expect depending on your choices. (You even get solid guidelines on what producers and professional readers expect the script to look like, right down to page margins.)
No scriptwriter should be without this book. It is crammed full of refreshingly useful and relevant information, it's funny, it's no-nonsense, it's fun to read, and it makes you want to sit down and get writing.
Let the "wannabes" read something like "How to be a Megarich Screenwriter in 24 Hours" or "PROVEN Hollywood Secrets". But if you're serious and not dumb enough to expect the road to be easy, check this book out.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
A simply wonderful, easy to read, and interesting
introduction to the world of television, radio and
stage, even for a non-writer like me. A book with
good hints and words of warning to a would-be writer.
After reading this book, I finally know what all of those
supervising and executive producers and story editors do.
introduction to the world of television, radio and
stage, even for a non-writer like me. A book with
good hints and words of warning to a would-be writer.
After reading this book, I finally know what all of those
supervising and executive producers and story editors do.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
I will spare You the same comments as the other reviews, as we are all in agreement that this book is incredible. There is a business that any writer must deal with, and JMS tells You how to go about it. Without this knowledge, You will *never* get hired. Also, JMS challenges the reader to not simply go around telling others, "I'm a writer." Rather, he wants You to have discipline and write whenever You have a moment's time to do so. There are a lot of talkers, and then there are those who succeed by hard work, discipline, an understanding of how the business works, and perseverance. I would highly endorse this book over other books that are simply made to take Your money, not unlike many of those scam writers' workshops who tell You the winning "formula" to a great work. JMS has paid his dues, written hundreds of scripts, and has worked as an Executive Producer for many successful shows. So please don't waste Your money on a fly by night writer who has never succeeded herself, but listen to the honesty and sincerity of a man who wrote this book under the premise that he wished he had had this book when he started. Best of luck to You all.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
The World (and History) According to J. Michael Straczynski
Fantastically informative and anecdotal in style, with a plethora of practical, methodical hints for all beginners scriptwriting needs. Read more
Published on 30 Sep 2000
1.0 out of 5 stars
Don't bother - especially if you're from the UK
Having read the book cover to cover I can say that it is virtually worthless for the budding scriptwriter. Read more
Published on 31 Oct 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
COULDN'T LIVE W/O IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Excellent! For those of you who truly want to write scripts, and become successfull, yet really have no clue how. Don't wait around for some college course; this is 'the berries'. Read more
Published on 21 Jan 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
STRACZYNSKI...The KING!
J. Michael Straczynski, creator and writer of the successful Babylon 5 and writer on Murder, She Wrote brings us this truly GREAT Screenwriter's Bible. Read more
Published on 13 Jan 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fun, level-headed approach to screenwriting
J. Michael Straczynski hits home with the revised edition of his scriptwriting book. He allows the writer to identify that "burn" within and provides motivation to... Read more
Published on 3 Oct 1997
5.0 out of 5 stars
Scriptwriting, or the Tinseltown FAQ?
Salted with script excerpts and script layouts in equal measure, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF SCRIPTWRITING is written with humour and a prose style which makes it almost as easy to read... Read more
Published on 3 Feb 1997
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