39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Marie Jones, Book Reviewer for ABSOLUTEWRITE.COM says:, October 12, 2004
This review is from: Psychology for Screenwriters (Paperback)
For any writer struggling to create powerful and believable characters, it is imperative that you understand the psychological aspects of why people do the things they do, why they behave in the ways they choose to, and what inner drives propel them towards potential greatness. The hero's journey talked about in myth and story has a structure based upon archetypes, themes and patters of human behavior that any writer can come to master when creating the perfect screenplay, and "Psychology For Screenwriters: Building Conflict in Your Script" by screenwriter and Assistant Professor of Psychology William Indick is a priceless guidebook for navigating the interior of the mind.
Written for screenwriters, with tons of examples of movies current and past that clarify the concepts, this book can also serve as an indespensable guide for writers of novels, who also grapple with making their characters believable, truthful and effective. Using Freudian psychology as well as the teachings of Carl Jung, Alfred Adler and the late, great mythologist Joseph Campbell, the author takes us on a highly detailed journey into the hero's journey itself, breaking apart each step of character development and providing a correlating psychological theme that underlies the motivations and actions of human beings. By doing this, the writer can absorb on a subconscious level what they then hope to realize in their work on a consious level - fully rounded, deeply real characters experiencing things that the audience can cheer for, relate to and feel authenticated by.
The book, which is thick and wordy and almost like a textbook, so filled with information is it, covers every aspect of human behavior and motivation, from psychosexuality to the conflict of identity crisis, from the hero's journey and its trials and pitfalls, to the many archetypes of persona and plot, to the different aspects of the heroine's journey, the existential conflict, the battle of ego and id, neurosis and narcissism, the defense mechanisms of the crafty ego, sibling rivalry, good versus evil, finding the inner animus, inferiority complexes, the power and metaphor of dreams and so very much more. In fact, reading this book can be somewhat intimidating for a writer who simply wants to "create better characters" and one can easily get bogged down in detail. But all that psychological stuff is truly worth it, because the end result is a greater understanding of human nature, which translates into writing that is more authentic, more profound, and more emotionally satisfying.
What works really well in this book are the many examples of how these aspects of personality show up in films most of us have seen before. This really allows the author to drive home his points and clarify his concepts in a way we call can understand - by relating it to what we've already experienced on the big screen. Even better are the many helpful sidebars, chapter summary points and insightful exercises all geared towards making sure that the writer, and reader, truly understands the material before closing the book and beginning to write.
I found this book to be a highly recommended "must-have" for writers serious about doing more than just popping out a commercial, story-driven script for a quick sale (ha-ha). This manual for serious character and story development is for those writers who truly want to create memorable people and plotlines that will connect with and move their audiences. One important suggestion, though. There is so much ground covered in this book that you might feel crippled by it when you are ready to write. Instead, read it, absorb the material, then set it aside long enough for it to sink into your psyche.
Then sit down and write, and watch your characters and your story take on a powerful and profoundly effective life of their own. Not only will you have learned more about what makes your characters tick, you will have learned a thing or two about yourself, which is really what writing is all about - expressing the self.
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book!, March 23, 2005
This review is from: Psychology for Screenwriters (Paperback)
I really didn't know what to expect when I got this book as a present, but I actually found it extremely useful in my writing. The chapters on Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung really helped me with structure for my script, and the other chapters are also full of useful insights into the psychology behind developing characters and plots. I recommend this book more than "The Writer's Journey," which I found less helpful.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Understanding the Psyche improves your writing, January 24, 2006
This review is from: Psychology for Screenwriters (Paperback)
When I first read this book, I realized that it contained alot of psychological/anthropological/mythological principles that we all take for granted and yet live each and everyday. The theories presented go so much further than just screenwriting. As screenwriting is not necessarily my forte, I found the book helpful in creating not just memorable characters, but understandable conflicts and plotlines within a short story or novel. I would highly recommend this book to novelists and short story writers beyond just the screenwriter at whom this book is primarily aimed.
There's a lot of information to be found within this book. Notes are a must, along with at least 2-3 readthroughs. Being able to apply the points to a specific piece you are working on definitely helps the points to sink in. Even if you are not terribly interested in the psychological theories of the masters, the book is broken down in such a way as to make the points which you can best apply to your characters easily understood. However, the archetypes contained within are not so simplistic & formulaic as to lose your interest or that of your reader/viewer. This book really challenges you to think about the motivations of each character in your book and how you can best end your story (or screenplay) with the creation of a whole entity with whom your audience can identify on an intangible level.
An excellent read.
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