Zen and the Art of Screenwriting: Insights and Interviews (Paperback)

by William Froug (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Twilight Zone and Playhouse 90 veteran William Froug gives indispensable advice in that the Zen encourages you to be true to your voice, write what you want, and dispense with all those books that straitjacket you into a formula. Think of the money you'll save! (Unless, of course, you have an urgent need to write a Speed or Die Hard sequel.) Froug also reinforces my Northern California bias (my home turf): two of the interviews that pepper this book are with screenwriters who live there--Bo Goldman and David and Janet Peoples.

About the Author
William Froug

Product Details

• Paperback: 332 pages
• Publisher: Silman-James Press; 1st edition (December 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879505312
• ISBN-13: 978-1879505315
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 7.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #385,133 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Screenwriter's Treasure, February 1, 1999

By A Customer

I read this book because I just finished William Froug's other book, "Screenwriting Tricks of the Trade", and I was loved and resides on the top of my list of the best/helpful books I've ever read about screenwriting. Both are geared more towards the advanced screenwriter and those who've had essays of structure and characterization up to the gills and are now ready to write something good.

One caution here: If you are looking to teach you zen, forget about it. Go buy a book on zen. If you are looking for more advanced thoughts and exploration on screenwriting, this book is it. William Froug is a wonderful teacher with much wisdom and experience to share.

Similar to another book of his, "Screenwriters on Screenwriting", you see writing through the eyes of the accomplished screenwriter, which can be very helpful for the aspiring writer to pace their careers, goals, dreams and life accordingly. Maybe that's where the zen comes in.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Of The Best!, June 11, 2000

By	Gil Alan (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews

Through the years many how to books have been written, not only on screenwriting but just about every subject imaginable. William Froug's book is more than a "How To" book. Zen and the Art of Screenwriting is a journey into the writers soul, and Froug is the guide that leads you there.

It has been said before and I will state it again; This is the only book you will ever need to read on screenwriting! All others are obsolete and should be dispensed of at once. Screenwriting is an artform born of individual expression and intuion, not a technique. Great writing comes only from the heart!

This wonderful book of insight and interviews will help the reader abandon conventionality and follow thier own unique intuition. I highly reccommend this book to all serious screenwriters from beginers to the advanced professional. Zen and the Art of Screenwriting is a writers best friend. Get it, buy it, read it... then read it again!

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat Disappointed in the Content, August 23, 1998

By	[e-mail] - See all my reviews

After reading the rave reviews by others about how Froug tells you to follow your guts, I found maybe two lines in the whole book about following your instincts, and there is NO mention of Zen principles at all in the book. I found the "hype" about the book and the actual content somewhat misleading. The book does give a few clues about structure, following the same old tired format that every other screenwriting book does.

What salvaged the book for me was the excellent