Normally we don’t recommend screenwriting books on here. They can be useful starting points to understand the foundational parts but can too often become prescriptive straitjackets which bind you to the One True Way™. And we’re all about whatever way gets you writing being the right way for you.
I had wound up in possession of Fitzgerald Did It and finally decided to give it a read. For the reasons above I’d been hesitant to dig in, but the book exceeded my expectations and provided some useful insights into the screenwriting process.
About the Book
Written by novelist and screenwriter Meg Wolitzer, it digs into the screenwriting process in a refreshingly no-nonsense way. Wolitzer also teaches creative writing, so she knows how to discuss both the art and the craft in an accessible way.
Now this book was published in 1999, so some of it’s dated. The list of screenwriting software and some assessments of the industry have definitely shifted in the last 20 years. It also spends a fair bit of time covering the basics, like formatting, which you can skip past.
At this point you’re probably asking why bother recommending the book? And that comes down to Wolitzer’s very specific slant on transitioning to screenwriting from writing prose.
The Differences Between Screen and Page
As a novelist-turned-screenwriter herself, Wolitzer’s well equipped to dig into how storytelling operates differently between the two modes. This premise drives the whole book – the title referring to F. Scott Fitzgerald making the switch from prose to script – and provides some interesting new insights into the screenwriting process.
In particular, I found the sections on character very resonant. Wolitzer insightfully speaks to the ways a character in a book, with our access to their thoughts, often don’t work on screen. By tweaking your focus towards something more dynamic you can give your story the kind of lead character it needs to succeed.
The Takeaway
This book isn’t for everyone. If you’re completely new to writing, or have only been a screenwriter, it’s not going to make a big difference from other screenwriting books. But if you, like me, transitioned from another writing discipline to screenwriting, this book has a lot to offer in helping with that adjustment.