Aristotle's Poetics for Screenwriters : Storytelling Secrets From the Greatest Mind in Western Civilization

An insightful how-to guide for writing screenplays that uses Aristotle's great work as a guide. Long considered the bible for storytellers, Aristotle's Poetics is a fixture of college courses on everything from fiction writing to dramatic theory. Now Michael Tierno shows how this great work can be an invaluable resource to screenwriters or anyone interested in studying plot structure. In carefully organized chapters, Tierno breaks down the fundamentals of screenwriting, highlighting particular aspects of Aristotle's work. Then, using examples from some of the best movies ever made, he demonstrates how to apply these ancient insights to modern-day screenwriting. This user-friendly guide covers a multitude of topics, from plotting and subplotting to dialogue and dramatic unity. Writing in a highly readable, informal tone, Tierno makes Aristotle's monumental work accessible to beginners and pros alike in areas such as screenwriting, film theory, fiction, and playwriting.

Long considered the bible for storytellers, Aristotle's Poetics is a fixture of college courses on everything from fiction writing to dramatic theory. Now story analyst Michael Tierno shows how this classic work can be an invaluable resource for beginning and advanced screenwriters or anyone interested in studying plot structure. In Aristotle's Poetics for Screenwriters, Tierno examines the fundamentals of screenwriting using techniques outlined in the Poetics, then applies these concepts to modern movie classics, including Citizen Kane, Rocky, Pulp Fiction, and many more. This highly readable guide covers a multitude of topics, from plotting and subplotting to dialogue and dramatic unity. Along the way, Tierno also gives tips based on his years as a story analyst, where he has learned what studios look for when they read a screenplay. His quick wit and easy-to-follow explanations of some of the Poetics' most difficult passages illuminate one of the most important books on story structure ever written.

Variety.com

Makes the precepts accessible with easy comparisons to contemporary hits.

This expert screenwriting guide shows how Aristotle’s timeless principles apply to today’s cinematic storytelling. Long considered the bible for storytellers, Aristotle's Poetics is a fixture of college courses on everything from fiction writing to dramatic theory. Now award-winning writer/director and Miramax story analyst Michael Tierno demonstrates how Aristotle’s ideas can be an essential resource for screenwriters and anyone interested in studying plot structure. Tierno breaks down the fundamentals of screenwriting, highlighting particular aspects of Aristotle's work. Then, using examples from some of the best movies ever made, he demonstrates how to apply these ancient insights to modern-day screenwriting. This user-friendly guide covers a multitude of topics, from plotting and subplotting to dialogue and dramatic unity. With expertise and jargon-free prose, Tierno makes Aristotle's monumental work accessible to beginners and pros alike in areas such as screenwriting, film theory, fiction, and playwriting. Long considered the bible for storytellers, Aristotle's Poetics is a fixture of college courses on everything from fiction writing to dramatic theory. Now story analyst Michael Tierno shows how this classic work can be an invaluable resource for beginning and advanced screenwriters, or anyone interested in studying plot structure. Tierno examines the fundamentals of screenwriting using techniques outlined in the Poetics, then applies these concepts to modern movie classics, including Citizen Kane, Rocky, Pulp Fiction, and many more. This guide covers a multitude of topics, from plotting and subplotting to dialogue and dramatic unity. Along the way, Tierno also gives tips based on his years as a story analyst, where he has learned what studios look for when they read a screenplay. His quick wit and easy-to-follow explanations of some of the Poetics' most difficult passages illuminate one of the most important books on story structure ever written.--From publisher description. Builds on the philosophies of the original writer's guide to consider the fundamentals of screenwriting while highlighting particular aspects of Aristotle's work, covering such topics as plot development, dialogue, and dramatic unity. Original. 30,000 first printing. **An insightful how-to guide for writing screenplays that uses Aristotle's great work as a guide.**__Poetics__