Yes you did read that properly. There are no books you need to read to learn screenwriting.
So you're probably thinking that this sounds controversial. Perhaps you think I'm deliberately courting controversy, catching eyeballs by being provocative. Maybe you think I'm being ridiculous or that this is an absurd idea. So blatantly stupid that you should just stop reading now. After all it flies in the face of given wisdom right? But does it, does it really?
Here's a question for you. Which books did you read to learn how to ride a bike?
Here's another. Which books did you read to learn how to swim? I'm prepared to go out on a limb here and say that you didn't read any books to learn either of these practices.
I daresay that someone provided encouragement and support, and some essential tips on technique and the rest was all you. Through trial and error you figured it out for yourself.
As a kid I distinctly remember the notion that riding a bike, the act of balancing and moving on two wheels was impossible. I mean it just didn't make any sense, I had no idea how to achieve this feat, but somehow through practice and repetition it all just fell into place.
Sure I grazed my knee and had a few scary moments along the way, but somehow I achieved this seemingly impossible feat.
When I came to write my first screenplay, I was almost thirty. I'd been through university and continued on to study a Masters in my twenties (not in anything creative I might add) and so I was steeped in the idea of methodical and comprehensive research as a way of achieving my goals. So naturally I started reading a book on screenwriting (no title or name mentioned to protect the innocent!), but I just couldn't relate to it at all. I tried another and felt the same sense of disassociation and alienation. These books didn't seem to have the stuff in them that I needed to get started. And then it occurred to me, I'd come to the idea of screenwriting as I loved film and I loved literature, I had watched and read voraciously all my life. So what did I do? I just started writing. I kind of followed my nose and enjoyed experimenting, exploring and playing. I really had no idea what I was doing or how to do it, but I leaned into my love of film and literature and just allowed myself to write come what may.
Long story short; I ended up with a feature film screenplay that two producers competed to option, there was some significant heat for a while and off the back of that came the opportunity to write and direct my first short film. The feature film never went into production and my first short was not very good, but that's not really the point. The point is this I learned the craft of screenwriting by doing it.
Because screenwriting is language based, people lump it in with things academic, that is a misconception. They believe that if they understand the theoretical underpinnings they will be better at it. That's also a misconception, it simply does not follow. I have many contemporaries who know more about screenwriting theory than I, but somehow I find myself further along the road than them. Screenwriting is a craft, crafts are practical, to learn a craft one must above-all-things practice the craft. Understanding follows practice. I would also argue that trying to understand first and practice after is the wrong way around.
So how do I share the craft of screenwriting? Much like teaching my daughter to ride a bike, I provide support and encouragement, I empower you by demonstrating that you already know more about storytelling than you thought you knew and in doing so we cover the bare minimum, the absolutely essential stuff that you need to start. The rest is practical exercises supported with rigorous feedback. This is how I help you on your adventures in screenwriting!
My best,
Your friendly neighbourhood Scriptologist.
www.scriptologyUK.com