J. M. Evenson - Shakespeare for Screenwriters: Timeless Writing Tips from the Master of Drama

Screenwriters seeking to expand their narrative skills can do no better than to consider the Master. J. M. Evenson, in her cogent, accessible Shakespeare for Screenwriters, plumbs the Bard for those essential principles that power his stories and drive his timeless, eternal characters in ways that are especially applicable to movies. Far more is shared between stage and screen than separates them. Kudos to Evenson for a truly original contribution to this increasingly overcrowded field.

Richard Walter, Professor and Screenwriting Chairman, UCLA School of Film

The shrewdest and most useful screenwriting book Ive found in years its like having the Bard himself as your writing partner.

Michael Colleary, writer of Face/Off, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and Firehouse Dog

If you think Shakespeare has no relevance to contemporary filmmaking, you arent looking very closely. There is an unbroken line between his work and the best films that appear this year at your local theaters. J. M. Evensons book succinctly and vividly looks at the writing techniques in Shakespeares plays that can be seen at work in the most memorable American films. An excellent, concise book!

Howard Suber, Professor, UCLA School of Film, and author of The Power of Film

Shakespeare for Screenwriters offers golden lessons that can make us all better writers no matter what youre working on.

Susan Hurwitz Arneson, writer on South Park and Malibu Country

Dont re-invent the wheel learn from the masters! Few would dispute that Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers in history. Evenson does an excellent job analyzing his most famous plays and explaining how to apply their lessons to modern-day screenwriting.

Marx H. Pyle, producer/co-host, GenreTainment;
director/creator, Reality On Demand

An instant favorite. Concise, focused, full of fresh insights, written in an easy, conversational style, Shakespeare for Screenwriters is a book that will be immensely useful not only to practicing writers, but to teachers of Shakespeare as well. The premise is so obvious (What practical lessons can screenwriters learn from the greatest dramatic writer in history?) that it seems a wonder no one has done this before but it is deceptively difficult to distill Shakespeares plays down to their essence, given their complexity and the barriers of language and time. Evenson has done so with verve and clarity: she mines each of fifteen major plays for a specific lesson in character and structure, draws astute (and often surprising) comparisons with classic and contemporary films, and ends each chapter with useful, practical exercises for the working writer. In a field rife with repetitive how-to books, Evenson has come up with an original, must-read approach on a par with Chris Voglers The Writers Journey.

Robin Russin, writer of On Deadly Ground, author of Screenplay: Writing the Picture, and Director of the MFA Program at UC, Riverside

All the worlds a stage, and this is the book you need in your library, whether youre a screenwriter, novelist, playwright, filmmaker, or just want to understand how Shakespeare managed to write such wonderful stories and create those fabulous characters! I love Shakespeare for Screenwriters!

Elizabeth English, Founder & Executive Director of the Moondance International Film Festival

Sprinkled liberally with the many shining examples created by his intelligence and understanding of human nature and behavior, William Shakespeare, in his array of great plays, lays the groundwork for all writers of drama, comedy, and tragedy to emulate. No easy task because of his superior use of language, intent, emotion, force, and the motivations revealed in his characters, good and evil. J. M. Evenson parses this larder of Shakespearian dramatic treasure, peeling back layers of complexity to find revealed the kernels of truth seen in contemporary work diligently following the trails Shakespeare blazed. Shakespeare for Screenwriters is a splendid touchstone for all serious screenwriters, with ample examples hinged to Shakespeares great plays.

Fred G. Thorne writer, producer, director, professor

This book is so much fun it makes you wonder how Shakespeare wrote all those plays without reading this first.

Chad Gervich, writer on Dog With a Blog and After Lately, author of Small Screen, Big Picture

An outstanding book. Writing, directing, acting Ive done it all, and I can tell you from experience, absolutely everybody could use a little touch of Shakespeare in their work, and this book tells you exactly how to do it!

Yule Caise, writer on Heroes

The idea to use probably the most famous, most enduring and most popular writer of all time to explore screenwriting is absolutely inspired, but dont think youll be mired in ancient texts with this book. Evenson deftly breaks apart the Bards techniques for creating some of the most powerful characters, dramatic plots, and classic themes ever written and expertly focuses that lens to a host of contemporary films in a way that will improve any screenwriters understanding of what makes great writing.

Robert Grant, editor Sci Fi London; author of Writing the Science Fiction Film

Jennie Evenson has taken the screenwriting how to book to a whole new level. Through analysis of Shakespeares work from a writers perspective, Ms. Evenson helps to show todays writer what makes his works so gripping, then shows you how to capture their power in your own work. By looking at the great works of the past, she has paved a new road for writers to create, expand, and understand their work. To be, or not to be? This book is.

Timothy Albaugh, writer of Trading Favors and Director of Hollins University Graduate Screenwriting Program

TIMELESS WRITING TIPS FROM
The Master of Drama

FOR SCREENWRITERS

J. M. Evenson

Published by Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
tel. 818.379.8799
fax 818.986.3408
www.mwp.com

Cover design: Johnny Ink www.johnnyink.com
Book design: Gina Mansfield Design
Copy editor: Matt Barber

Printed by McNaughton & Gunn, Inc., Saline, Michigan
Manufactured in the United States of America

2013 J. M. Evenson

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Evenson, J. M.

Shakespeare for screenwriters : timeless writing tips from the master of drama / J. M. Evenson.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-61593-141-5

1. Motion picture authorship--Vocational guidance. 2. Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616--Technique. I. Title.

PN1996.E94 2013

808.23--dc23

2013004682

Printed on recycled stock

Publisher plants ten trees for every one tree used to produce this book.

INTRODUCTION:
What can screenwriters learn from Shakespeare?

To thine own self be true:
Creating psychological depth in your characters.

Parting is such sweet sorrow:
Climaxes should be inevitable (but not predictable).

Out, damned spot!:
Why we love obsessed characters.

These words are razors to my wounded heart:
The power of personal tragedies.

More than kin and less than kind:
Want to create a classic drama? Destroy a family.

As luck would have it:
A good comedy requires at least one accident,