《书目》(Booklist)书评

Stuart, a story analyst and writing instructor, collected advice and observations from a number of successful screenwriters, agents, studio executives, producers, and directors for this useful treatise on writing a marketable script and getting it into the hands of the right people. The fact that everyone and their psychologist have written a script is one of the more amusing commonplaces of our times, but Stuart assures us that while 95 percent of these brainchilds are unceremoniously rejected, producible scripts do get written and "discovered." Stuart strides briskly through a comprehensive explanation of what exactly story analysts do and what is included in their all-important "coverage." Then she offers some lightweight suggestions for "schmoozing" and choosing an agent, but quickly focuses on the real issue: good writing. She discusses the importance of originality, strong dialogue, a commercially viable concept, flexible structure, and clear visual descriptions. Peppered with insider information about the writers of such megahits as Lethal Weapon and the evaluation processes of certain studios, this is a particularly specific and perceptive treatment of a very popular topic. ~--Donna Seaman