This is something I wish I had when first starting out in screenwriting. It’s a list of essential screenwriting books that helped clearly define the screenwriting craft to me.
Each book reveals a new approach, complete with the writer’s own methods, to tackle the challenge of telling a story. You’ll find some that were written for those interested in mythology, interested in writing plays, and those interested in general writing guidelines. Together, I feel these books present a solid foundation for new screenwriters.
Feel free to leave a comment revealing your own …

As most of you already know, Blake Snyder provided the screenwriting community with one of the most influential, non-fiction books of all time.

Why so influential?
Not only did Blake Snyder make the, oh so famous, “Blake Snyder Beat Sheet,” he also dedicated the entire book to breaking down the outlining process for screenwriters. I don’t know about everyone else, but for me personally, this was one area that always seemed to be skimmed over with other books on screenwriting.
What’s the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet?
The beat sheet in general is a shorthand …

When first becoming interested in screenwriting, I knew I had to read as much as possible about the art, craft, theories, opinions, and everything in between, so I started stalking the screenwriting section of books at Barns and Noble.
I spent so much time there reading and getting to know the books that I decided it might be a good idea to be paid for it; I filled out an application, dropped it off, and before I knew it not only was I stalking the film section on a daily basis, but …