Screenwriting Book - Crime and Thriller Writing

Screenwriting Book - Crime and Thriller Writing
By: Michelle Spring and Laurie R. King
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
2012

This book is not your typical film book as it's about writing a crime and thriller novel. While the book is primarily written by two authors giving contrasting views on how to visualise, plan and write a story, there are other contributors making it a very varied book in terms of opinion. It is a fantastic collaborative effort between many writers which is probably one of it's selling points.

“The initial seed – the embryonic idea – was only a wisp. In each case, once that seed was planted, roots spread out, searching for ways to fees the idea, to build on it, to make it grow.”

What this book taught me:-

It didn't so much teach me about how stories should or could be made in the sense that it taught me about the structure of stories. It taught me how stories are written in terms of how to plan and execute a film. Using cards to organise thoughts on the story (as in Save the Cat!) or organically writing and trimming the fat when you're done. I like to think on reflection of this that I am a hybrid of both. An orderly organic writer. Most importantly, it showed me how to go about visualising a story, from environments, sounds and even smells. If anything, it helped me mentally enter my story much, much better than I could before. There are elements of getting suspense and such things from the audience such as tips on characters and plot but those are the minority in my view.

“Close your eyes, and think of a town, or village, or a landscape, that you know reasonably well. Take your time. Conjure up a strong visual image. Now, select two or three telling details that you feel will convey most succinctly the atmosphere of that place, or what it feels like to be there.”

Should you buy it?

Obviously you have to be interested in crime and thrillers to entertain the thought of buying the book. I am, so I did and I can say that even thought, in my opinion there are quite a few irrelevant pages, it was worth reading. When I say irrelevant, it doesn't mean I didn't enjoy reading those pages. If you want a book that's straight to the point, you're going to have to skip a lot of this book or not buy it. It's a fascinating read though, the stories are fun and elightening to say the least. If you do read it, remember these words: "I'm da king of da beach!"

“Above all, give your readers characters they genuinely care about, that have the power to move them, and you will have suspense from page one.”

Where to buy it: (Copy&Paste)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thriller-Writing-Writers-Artists-Companions/dp/1472523938/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421169275&sr=8-1&keywords=crime+and+thriller+writing