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The Screenwriting Quick Start
Richard Whiteside
August 2017 978-0-9992745-1-4
Insights about the politics and inner working of Hollywood as it
relates to screenwriting.
Building upon his previous book, The Screenwriting Life, Rich Whiteside delivers another marvelous insider look at the screenwriting industry. The Screenwriting Quick Start is written from the heart in a fast-paced, conversational-style that delivers tip after tip for the first-time screenwriter. Whiteside explores rarely talked about vagaries of Hollywood careers.
The Screenwriting Quick Start is based upon insights from more than a hundred interviews with studio executives, screenwriters, producers, directors, showrunners, and more than twenty-five years of personal experience working in and around Hollywood.
While there is no guaranteed way to launch a Hollywood screenwriting career, it helps to know the basics of the lay of the land. Read and learn: Tips on selecting your first scriptwriting book, strategies for breaking in that have worked for others, networking ideas, insider notes about pitching from major studio development executives, and the inner workings of network television and feature film development.
The Screenwriting Quick Start bridges the knowledge gap between writing your first script and taking your first decisive steps towards the industry.
Hollywood is a mysterious place, so any insights from a pro screenwriter are invaluable. Rich's claim of a one-night read is absolutely accurate. I read the book from cover to cover on a recent flight to L.A. The advice is practical, straight-forward, and a must-read for writers or filmmakers wanting to understand how the film industry works -- the good, the bad, and the ugly. From development hell to the importance of building a support community, Rich hands out nuggets of critical advice on every page. I wish I had this quick-read career bible when I started writing! JeanneVB
What I liked the most about Rich Whiteside's book is that it really does portray the basics of the politics and workings of Hollywood. As a writer and actress, for many years I was on the receiving end and was often left in mystery as to why some projects go through, some fail, why some talent is lifted up, and some ignored. His book helps anyone wanting to be a screenwriter develop the mindset and thought process that will help them take their first steps, and keep taking steps. I recommend this to anyone who wants to venture into the profession of screenwriting. It will prepare you for the road ahead. Lee K
Former Navy SEAL Rich Whiteside is an accomplished screenwriter who has written extensively about the craft and the movie industry. He writes in a clean, readable, clear style and this concise book offers an invaluable contribution for those interested in writing screenplays (the easy part of the movie business) -- and then navigating the treacherous currents of getting a screenplay produced. It's a fact that if you have 20 properties and all of them look like they can go, it's good fortune if only one does. Whiteside's book unlocks the mysteries with a practical guide to folks who want their scripts sold and produced. Success in the film business is tough to achieve. Reading and digesting this book makes the ascent easier, providing the knowledge, understanding and expertise of an industry pro. Want your script to be right, and then produced? READ THIS BOOK. James Farwell