Writing and Selling Drama Screenplays by Lucy V Hay

Writing & Selling Drama Screenplays by Lucy V. Hay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It may be drama features that win the most awards and kudos from critics, but in the current marketplace you're unlikely to sell a drama screenplay in the way you would a genre script. Breaking down the nuts and bolts of what differentiates drama from genre, Writing and Selling Drama Screenplays will consider questions such as: What is 'emotional truth'? What separates stereotypical and authentic characters? What are the different types of drama feature screenplay? How do we make these films, when there's 'no money'? What are the distribution opportunities for dramas? Exploring the ways in which drama and authenticity work, it will empower screenwriters to make their own story and character choices, so they can write and also help to package, finance and even make their own drama features. Writing and Selling Drama Screenplays will include detailed case studies of produced dramas made on both shoestring and bigger budgets, and industry insights from their writers, directors and producers. It looks in-depth at Scottish BAFTA-winning Night People, the iconic coming out movie Beautiful Thing, the touching New Orleans drama Hours, starring the late Paul Walker, and the ambitious true story of Saving Mr Banks, based on the battle of wills between Mary Poppins author PL Travers and Walt Disney himself. It will also discuss films such as Brokeback Mountain, American Beauty, The King's Speech, Juno, Erin Brockovich, Changeling and Girl, Interrupted.


Writing and Selling Drama Screenplays is a very informative read and essential for anyone thinking about writing for the silver screen, whether it be Drama or any other genre.

The book is filled with great tips and tricks of the trade, it also gets the reader used to seeing filmic terms and language.

It is nicely formatted and laid out in 12 chapters (including preface) and has a handy resources section at the end of the book full of information on where you can go to further you screenwriting talents, it also lists competitions, industry contacts etc, that you can send your screenplays to.

This is not just a 'how to' book as it says 'there is no right way to tell a story' it is a book that offers guidance and encourages you to reach for your potential.

Having read screenwriting books before this one written by Lucy V. Hay actually sounds like it has come from someone who knows what they are talking about.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.