"No one is better than Michael Hauge at finding what is most authentic in every moment of a story...." Will Smith, actor

"In the field of teaching screenwriting, Michael Hauge is indeed a master." The Freelance Screenwriter's Forum

A bestseller for 20 years, Hauge's unique six step approach to screenwriting cuts through nonsense, striking the perfect balance between commercial advice, artistic encouragement and lucid examples from hundreds of great films. Never losing sight of the fundamental purpose of a script: emotional impact, Hauge's engaging and inspiring book takes you on a journey through story concept, character development, theme, structure and scenes. Screenwriting is an art, but Hague's book is unashamedly commercial with advice on how to submit a manuscript, select an agent and market yourself.

Updates to this edition include a new, masterful analysis of Avatar's script, new scripts examples, a new chapter on breaking the rules - successful scripts that don't follow the traditional Hollywood model and online marketing tools for screenwriters.