About the Book:

A screenwriting manual written in the form of a screenplay.

There are hundreds of books on the market, all trying to teach you how to write a screenplay. Several of them are excellent and useful books. But this unique 'how to' guide is the first screenwriting manual written in the form of a screenplay in order to teach you about how to write a quality screenplay.

How to Write: A Screenplay is an instructional manual specifically designed to teach aspiring screenwriters how to write a screenplay by reading one. Author Mark Evan Schwartz introduces us to our hero, the aspiring screenwriter Danny. He is hopelessly in love with Bebe, a hot young starlet. But Bebe won't go out with Danny until he proves that he can write a brilliant screenplay for her. Helped along the way by a mysterious guide (Virgil) with seemingly magical powers, Danny travels to Screenwriting Hell to see what happens to writers who never make the grade. Virgil teaches him the tricks of the trade, the fundamental techniques that all screenwriters have to master, no matter how great their ideas. But there's something a little strange about Virgil, and Danny is never sure whether to trust him or not…

As well as the screenplay itself, How to Write: A Screenplay includes an introduction explaining how to get the most out of the screenplay, the log line, the synopsis, character bios, and the treatment.

What people say:

"An interesting and worthwhile experiment. A fast and informative read … A fun way to learn how to write a script." — Screenwriting Magazine

"Schwartz delivers a wonderfully unique concept … a great idea and the most entertaining way of learning the process." — Script Magazine

"Mark Evan Schwartz's book is 'a good read' and it's also an instructional read that guides a new screenwriter through the maze of writing a good screenplay, much the same way Virgil guided Dante through another potentially hellish experience all those many years ago." — Barry Brodsky, Emerson College, Boston

"Mark Evan Schwartz knows screenwriting like Dante knew Hell. Not that screenwriting is hell all of the time, but it is often enough to need a great roadmap, and How to Write: A Screenplay does that beautifully, with humor and invention and a thorough respect for both the basics and the sulphorous details. And the notion of writing it in the form of a screenplay, called writing for the hell of it, is just plain inspiration. Writing a screenplay that really works is deceptively difficult. Reading this book and following its wisdom decidedly is not." — Wes Craven

About the Author:

Mark Evan Schwartz is Associate Professor of Screenwriting at Loyola Marymount University, School of Film and Television, in California. He's a former Head of Story Development for Nelson Entertainment, Story Analyst for the David Geffen Company, and Production Assistant to Francis Ford Coppola. A working screenwriter, he has credits on over a dozen produced feature films and television movies.