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Save the Cat!
- The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
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Story
- Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting
- Written by: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Story
Robert McKee's screenwriting workshops have earned him an international reputation for inspiring novices, refining works in progress, and putting major screenwriting careers back on track. Quincy Jones, Diane Keaton, Gloria Steinem, Julia Roberts, John Cleese, and David Bowie are just a few of his celebrity alumni. Writers, producers, development executives, and agents all flock to his lecture series, praising it as a mesmerizing and intense learning experience.
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Very informative
- By elc on 2023-10-22
Written by: Robert McKee
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Dialogue
- The Art of Verbal Action for Page, Stage, and Screen
- Written by: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In Dialogue, Robert McKee offers in-depth analysis for how characters speak on the screen, on the stage, and on the page in believable and engaging ways. From Macbeth to Breaking Bad, McKee deconstructs key scenes to illustrate the strategies and techniques of dialogue. Dialogue applies a framework of incisive thinking to instruct the prospective writer on how to craft artful, impactful speech.
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Brilliant and Dedicated
- By Tim Feller on 2020-01-17
Written by: Robert McKee
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Creating Character Arcs
- The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development
- Written by: K.M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters - but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.
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Indispensable
- By Alex Makar (the author!) on 2019-09-19
Written by: K.M. Weiland
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Asian Journals
- India and Japan (The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell)
- Written by: Joseph Campbell
- Narrated by: Fred Stella
- Length: 26 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
At the beginning of his career, Joseph Campbell developed a lasting fascination with the cultures of the Far East, and explorations of Buddhist and Hindu philosophy later became recurring motifs in his vast body of work. However, Campbell had to wait until middle age to visit the lands that inspired him so deeply. In 1954, he took a sabbatical from his teaching position and embarked on a year-long voyage through India, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and finally Japan.
Written by: Joseph Campbell
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Character
- The Art of Role and Cast Design for Page, Stage, and Screen
- Written by: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Following up his perennially best-selling writers' guide Story and his inspiring exploration of the art of verbal action in Dialogue, the most sought-after expert in the storytelling brings his insights to the creation of compelling characters and the design of their casts. Character explores the design of a character universe: The dimensionality, complexity and arcing of a protagonist, the invention of orbiting major characters, all encircled by a cast of service and supporting roles.
Written by: Robert McKee
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The Science of Storytelling
- Written by: Will Storr
- Narrated by: James Clamp
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
How do master storytellers compel us? There have been many attempts to understand what makes a good story, but few have used a scientific approach. In The Science of Storytelling, Will Storr applies dazzling psychological research and cutting-edge neuroscience to our myths and archetypes to show how we can tell better stories, revealing, among other things, how storytellers - and also our brains - create worlds by being attuned to moments of unexpected change.
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Confusing at first, but brings it together
- By Monica B on 2023-01-08
Written by: Will Storr
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Story
- Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting
- Written by: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Robert McKee's screenwriting workshops have earned him an international reputation for inspiring novices, refining works in progress, and putting major screenwriting careers back on track. Quincy Jones, Diane Keaton, Gloria Steinem, Julia Roberts, John Cleese, and David Bowie are just a few of his celebrity alumni. Writers, producers, development executives, and agents all flock to his lecture series, praising it as a mesmerizing and intense learning experience.
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Very informative
- By elc on 2023-10-22
Written by: Robert McKee
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Dialogue
- The Art of Verbal Action for Page, Stage, and Screen
- Written by: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Dialogue, Robert McKee offers in-depth analysis for how characters speak on the screen, on the stage, and on the page in believable and engaging ways. From Macbeth to Breaking Bad, McKee deconstructs key scenes to illustrate the strategies and techniques of dialogue. Dialogue applies a framework of incisive thinking to instruct the prospective writer on how to craft artful, impactful speech.
-
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Brilliant and Dedicated
- By Tim Feller on 2020-01-17
Written by: Robert McKee
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Creating Character Arcs
- The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development
- Written by: K.M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters - but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.
-
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Indispensable
- By Alex Makar (the author!) on 2019-09-19
Written by: K.M. Weiland
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Asian Journals
- India and Japan (The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell)
- Written by: Joseph Campbell
- Narrated by: Fred Stella
- Length: 26 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At the beginning of his career, Joseph Campbell developed a lasting fascination with the cultures of the Far East, and explorations of Buddhist and Hindu philosophy later became recurring motifs in his vast body of work. However, Campbell had to wait until middle age to visit the lands that inspired him so deeply. In 1954, he took a sabbatical from his teaching position and embarked on a year-long voyage through India, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and finally Japan.
Written by: Joseph Campbell
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Character
- The Art of Role and Cast Design for Page, Stage, and Screen
- Written by: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following up his perennially best-selling writers' guide Story and his inspiring exploration of the art of verbal action in Dialogue, the most sought-after expert in the storytelling brings his insights to the creation of compelling characters and the design of their casts. Character explores the design of a character universe: The dimensionality, complexity and arcing of a protagonist, the invention of orbiting major characters, all encircled by a cast of service and supporting roles.
Written by: Robert McKee
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The Science of Storytelling
- Written by: Will Storr
- Narrated by: James Clamp
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How do master storytellers compel us? There have been many attempts to understand what makes a good story, but few have used a scientific approach. In The Science of Storytelling, Will Storr applies dazzling psychological research and cutting-edge neuroscience to our myths and archetypes to show how we can tell better stories, revealing, among other things, how storytellers - and also our brains - create worlds by being attuned to moments of unexpected change.
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Confusing at first, but brings it together
- By Monica B on 2023-01-08
Written by: Will Storr
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Action
- The Art of Excitement for Screen, Page, and Game
- Written by: Robert McKee, Bassim El-Wakil
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
Action explores the ways that a modern-day writer can successfully tell an action story that not only stands apart, but wins the war on clichés. Teaming up with the former co-host of The Story Toolkit, Bassim El-Wakil, legendary story lecturer Robert McKee guides writers to award-winning originality by deconstructing the action genre, illuminating the challenges, and, more importantly, demonstrating how to master the demands of plot with surprising beats of innovation and ingenuity.
Written by: Robert McKee, and others
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Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t
- And Other Tough-Love Truths to Make You a Better Writer
- Written by: Steven Pressfield
- Narrated by: Steven Pressfield
- Length: 3 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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There's a mantra real writers know but wannabe writers don’t. And the secret phrase is this: "Nobody wants to read your shit." Recognizing this painful truth is the first step in the writer's transformation from amateur to professional.
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a must have for writers
- By lilguitargal on 2020-09-13
Written by: Steven Pressfield
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Screenwriting 101: Mastering the Art of Story
- Written by: Angus Fletcher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Angus Fletcher
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Original Recording
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Story
Whether you want to write your own scripts or simply gain a deeper appreciation for the great stories you see unfold on the screen, Professor Angus Fletcher is here to show you the way in Screenwriting 101: Mastering the Art of Story. Professor Fletcher, Professor of English and Film at The Ohio State University, brings both a personal and scholarly perspective to this craft. As a screenwriter himself, he has experienced the ins and outs of the process first-hand.
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Not practical
- By Marie-Louise on 2019-01-03
Written by: Angus Fletcher, and others
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Outlining Your Novel
- Map Your Way to Success
- Written by: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
Let outlines help you write a better book! Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer's arsenal.
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Indispensable
- By Ivy Mills on 2022-09-15
Written by: K. M. Weiland
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Producer to Producer
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Low-Budget Independent Film Producing
- Written by: Maureen A. Ryan
- Narrated by: Susie Berneis
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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This is a comprehensive bible to low-budget film production for emerging and professional producers. Structured to guide the listener through production meetings, every aspect of the film-production process is outlined in detail. Invaluable checklists - which begin 12 weeks before shooting and continue through principal (and secondary) photography and postproduction - keep the filmmaker on track and on target.
Written by: Maureen A. Ryan
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What You Don't Learn in Film School
- A Complete Guide to (Independent) Filmmaking
- Written by: Shane Stanley
- Narrated by: Ted Jonas
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Multi-Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Shane Stanley writes a book anyone and everyone should hear if they want an entertainment industry insider's professional guidance on how to create a movie. This book is an especially invaluable tool for those who have or plan to, attend a college or university film school. It's your complete guide to (independent) filmmaking.
Written by: Shane Stanley
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The Hidden Habits of Genius
- Beyond Talent, IQ, and Grit - Unlocking the Secrets of Greatness
- Written by: Craig Wright
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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What is genius? The word evokes iconic figures like Einstein, Beethoven, Picasso, and Steve Jobs, whose cultural contributions have irreversibly shaped society. Yet Beethoven could not multiply. Picasso couldn’t pass a fourth grade math test. And Jobs left high school with a 2.65 GPA. The Hidden Habits of Genius explores the meaning of this contested term, and the unexpected motivations of those we have dubbed "genius" throughout history, from Charles Darwin and Marie Curie to Leonardo Da Vinci and Andy Warhol to Toni Morrison and Elon Musk.
Written by: Craig Wright
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Directing Actors
- Written by: Judith Weston
- Narrated by: Judith Weston
- Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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In this essential guide to acting, internationally renowned directing coach Judith Weston demonstrates what constitutes a good performance, what actors want from a director, and what directors do wrong. She also goes over script analysis and preparation and how actors work, and she shares important and helpful insights into the director/actor relationship.
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Very thorough
- By Eric on 2021-07-28
Written by: Judith Weston
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Story Genius
- How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere)
- Written by: Lisa Cron
- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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It's every novelist's greatest fear: pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into writing hundreds of pages only to realize that their story has no sense of urgency, no internal logic, and so is a page-one rewrite. The prevailing wisdom in the writing community is that there are just two ways around this problem: pantsing (winging it) and plotting (focusing on the external plot).
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Wow. A Series of Advice that Needs Interpreting.
- By Daniell T. on 2023-05-03
Written by: Lisa Cron
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On Writing
- A Memoir of the Craft
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Stephen King, Joe Hill, Owen King
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery.
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Packed with nothing
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-04-08
Written by: Stephen King
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The Joy of Less
- A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify
- Written by: Francine Jay
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Having less stuff is the key to happiness: Do you ever feel overwhelmed, instead of overjoyed, by all your possessions? Do you secretly wish a gale force wind would blow the clutter from your home? If so, it's time to simplify your life! The Joy of Less is a fun guide to minimalist living. Ready to sweep away the clutter? Just listen to this book, and you'll be on your way to a simpler, more streamlined, and more serene life. Francine has helped hundreds of thousands of people declutter their homes and simplify their lives with her bestselling book, The Joy of Less.
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Limited usefulness
- By JS231 on 2018-04-11
Written by: Francine Jay
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YouTube Secrets
- The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Following and Making Money as a Video Influencer
- Written by: Sean Cannell, Benji Travis
- Narrated by: Sean Cannell, Benji Travis
- Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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YouTube sensations and best-selling authors Sean Cannell and Benji Travis take your YouTube channel from slow and dormant to accelerated and engaged, using premium and updated YouTube growth tips for creators, business owners, digital entrepreneurs, and influencers. This is the ultimate game plan to grow a following and make money with the power of video.
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F*ckin' mintttt
- By Ryan Wheeler on 2020-01-22
Written by: Sean Cannell, and others
Publisher's Summary
Here's what started the phenomenon: This book has been a best seller for over 15 years and has been used by screenwriters around the world! Blake Snyder tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business. Save the Cat is just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying. Others include these:
- The four elements of every winning logline
- The seven immutable laws of screenplay physics
- The 10 genres that every movie ever made can be categorized by - and why they're important to your script
- Why your hero must serve your idea
- Mastering the 15 beats
- Creating the perfect beast by using the board to map 40 scenes with conflict and emotional change
- How to get back on track with proven rules for script repair
This ultimate insider's guide reveals the secrets that none dare admit, told by a show biz veteran who's proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat.
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What listeners say about Save the Cat!
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- J.
- 2018-12-07
Great info but lacking PDF content
I found the concepts in this book very helpful and well put together. However, it has been difficult putting the concepts into action without a visual guide. A lot of the concepts would benefit from a PDF attachment similar to the ones found provided with other audio books of this type. I contacted the publisher directly and they suggested I buy the content again in text form.... That was annoying. To spite how well done the audio book is you should consider buying a text copy instead.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Lexloco
- 2021-12-19
Interesting and practical
As anyone considering this selection will know, there is a plethora of screenwriting books available. This is among the most practical. Highly recommended!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Christy
- 2020-12-11
Light hearted, helpful, and enjoyable advice
Overall I really enjoyed this book, it was actually an assigned reading for one of my university classes.
Blake Snider writes with a very active voice and it's very straight forward to follow what he is saying. He explains things well and it makes sense. I am by no means a writer but I have a bit of a better understanding of what my framework for script writing should be. For example what sort of questions I should be asking myself, what details to focus or not focus on, or what the progression of events should be to name a few.
I actually listened to this in one day, it didn't get boring whatsoever. The narrator is great and has good animated inflection. He doesn't drone on he reads the book with the same enthusiasm that I imagine Snyder wrote it in.
Overall this is an enjoyable quick light read and I would recommend for those who may be struggling with some writers block or even just want some insight to the screen writing process.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Dan C.
- 2019-12-19
Very informative.
Contains a lot of useful information. Although having only gotten two awful movies made, I question the author's credibility to some degree.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Bend Yoga
- 2023-07-06
Brilliant
This was well presented, made a lot of sense and is very straight forward. The narrator was good too.
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- Ono Northey
- 2023-06-09
wonderfully useful
evolved me as an author. great tips on structure, pacing, genres and more. worthwhile!
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- Ken
- 2023-03-06
Great resource
Great resource for screenwriters. Focus on story more than structure. Looking to get another title for television writing. Thanks Blake.
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- Techpotato
- 2023-01-22
Well written and structured
It is unusual to find a “how to“ book to be interesting and compelling, but this one is.
It wasn’t exactly what I expected from the title. I thought it would be a book specifically about the “save the cat“ story structure, so common in modern full season arc television shows, but this was so much better than that.
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- Loves To Read
- 2023-01-21
Great narration and lots of good information
This was written a few years back and so the examples are a bit dated but the information is well structured and easy to understand. I don’t plan to write a screenplay any time soon but it will help in my novel writing as well. Narration is pitch perfect.
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- Adam Wiedra
- 2022-10-25
As good as the book itself
I've read both the book and heard the audio book version. This audio book is pristine and listening to it is as enjoyable as reading the paper version.
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- Amazon Customer
- 2020-02-05
Don't waste your time
The author brags about selling screenplays so I looked up what he wrote. He actually won an award (a Razzie for worst screenplay). Most new screenwriters want to write a good story, not just one that will sell. He completely lost me when he started taking jabs at classic movies.
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36 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 2020-06-25
Outdated but kind of helpful I guess?
The one word to sum up Blake Snyder’s rules and advice on writing movies is “outdated.” He comes from a time of Hollywood in the 80s and 90s where family comedies were the biggest fad and that’s where he has his experience writing. While some of the references have been updated to as late as 2009 (the year he unfortunately passed away), the films he heralds as great models are generally unimpressive, heartless and forgotten comedies.
The industry has changed so much since this was written, I think there’s more of a focus now on innovative and experimental stories and ways of telling said stories, with filmmakers like Tarantino, Denis Villeneuve, and Christopher Nolan (whose breakout film Memento is detested by Snyder for the absolute dumbest reasons) breaking the mould and ushering in this new mindset of Hollywood.
At the end of the day, Snyder is more concerned with selling a screenplay than telling a good and engaging story. This is evident in his less than impressive resume. Only two of his sold scripts have ever been made, and you’ve never seen or heard of either.
However! He is a veteran of the industry and does have wisdom to share. While I didn’t agree with his ideas or rules, I found ways to adapt his lessons into guidelines that could I could make useful for myself in 2020.
So if you decide to read or listen to the book, I recommend trying to find ways to learn from his ideas rather than taking them at face value.
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27 people found this helpful
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- E
- 2018-06-29
little full of himslef but is very helpful.
Has helpful tips if you cant figure out why somthing isnt working or dialog is lacking he gives you some nice tools to use. overall its a good one to read!
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13 people found this helpful
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- Kevin Potter
- 2019-06-03
Enlightening and, frankly, disheartening
There's definitely a lot of great info here, and I would absolutely call it an invaluable resource for any aspiring screen writer.
I don't have a lot to say about the narrator. In this kind of non-fiction, the only real requirements are a reasonably pleasant voice and clear, understandable speech. Which George Newbern manages perfectly.
There are honestly a lot of great storytelling precepts herein, but there are almost as many things that I disagree with on a visceral level.
I also highly disagree with the author about his opinion of... Well... Pretty much every movie he analyzes.
I can accept, however, that the author's idea of the "perfect" movie is just about the complete opposite of mine.
I have to admit that 99% of my disappointment with this book was not the material (the value here was great), but rather with the picture he paints of the state of Hollywood and film making in general.
In short, anyone who is the least bit curious about screenwriting or script analysis could definitely benefit from reading this book.
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10 people found this helpful
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Overall

- Gerard Ruybal
- 2018-09-07
overall really good advice
I had heard about this book from many people with stealer reviews and it lives up to the expectation. The writer gives solid advice to build a screenwriting foundation off of but there are a lot of rules I think could be more flexible that the writer insist are concrete. Overall would 100% recommend to aspiring screenwriters.
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9 people found this helpful
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- MovieGuy
- 2019-04-28
My Favorite Screenwriting Book
I've read and listened to a large number of books on screenwriting/writing. Although many of them I found helpful, this is by far my favorite. Why? It's very close to 100% usable, practical, actionable advise that makes sense and I believe works. Not only that but it's presented in a very congenial, conversational way (unlike, for example McKee's And Field's books which are so stuffy and academic it makes their books far less accessible, and difficult to even concentrate on when listening to them read).
The criticism that I often hear about this (and his other) books is that they are "cookie cutter", meaning that it's kind of a one-size-fits-all sort of approach. That is true imo, and I don't agree with all Synder's advice (he's pretty much a one-genre guy (Romantic Comedy), and it isn't the genre that I write, so some of the things he says, imo, are not that applicable to some other genres (like Sci Fi and Horror, which are mine), but still most of his stuff is applicable across the board, and it's certainly helped my writing, and will help yours too.
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7 people found this helpful
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- Tomi Miettinen
- 2018-11-27
Nothing special
Honestly, i think the book is quite mediocre. I didn't find it particularly useful nor did i learn very much from it. Great narration, though.
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7 people found this helpful
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- James M. Patton
- 2018-08-07
Best book I have read on writing screenplays.
I have read a lot of books about screenwriting, movie making, etc, and the Save The Cat series is the first that have gone beyond telling me I need pen and paper and software and selling skills and actually taught me things that have convinced me to change things in my scripts.
I thought I had my stories pretty well "fleshed out", but this book teaches you that at a certain number of minutes into a film, you should have specific things established. And at other points, you should pivot your story to another point.
Like all common sense, this may sound like a "well duh" statement once said, but that's the thing about common sense: Everyone thinks they knew it before it was said, but how many applied it? This book teaches you how your script needs to be broken down, how you may need to add plot points to have the pivots needed, etc.
This isn't just how to arrange and how to find an agent, it is literally at what minute in a 90 minute film you should be making this story point and that story pivot.
This original in the series is better in my opinion than the Strikes Back follow up, but both are good and make good companion pieces.
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7 people found this helpful
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- Angel Sturgill
- 2020-11-13
Amazing information, but I lost engagement
The information is GOLD! But as far as structure, it wasn’t as engaging. The first few chapters about structure were good. The bits of nuggets scattered throughout make it totally worth it. But it’s not fun listening to lists, or shotgun bullet points. The later half of the book is a list of his advice.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Adam
- 2019-07-05
Great how to book on writing
I read Save the Cat about 5 years ago and loved it. This is a great book for writers and especially for screenwriters. The narrator George Newbern did a great job with Blake Snyder's POV.
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4 people found this helpful
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- ieshchenko
- 2023-07-01
Simple but efficient
Good sharp advices, a bit basic to my taste but there are some really good insights
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- Emanuele Ricci
- 2019-12-06
Useful for beginners
It has some precious insights for who wants to takle PG comedies, but for other genres leave it alone.
For a book that stresses the importance of a sympathetic hero, the author manages to appear exceptionally unpleasant and full of himself.
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