Go to Home Page of Small-Cast One-Act Guide Online

Bibliography for Playwrights

For the casual or serious playwright, for the novice or veteran, the following references should prove helpful. The list is idiosyncratic: copies reside in the Webmaster's office library for regular reference.

Berman, Robert A, Fade In: The Screenwriting Process (Stoneham, MA: Focal Press, 1988), ISBN 0-94188-07-8.: A concise method for developing a story concept into a finished screenplay, which has techniques useful to the one-act playwright. Includes the basics of dramatic writing, creating three-dimensional Characters, screenwriting form, techniques, and terminology, writing techniques, collaboration, adaptations. Complete index.
Brenner, Alfred, The TV Scriptwriter's Handbook, (Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1980) ISBN 0-89879-024-7.: Discusses the schedule of a Hollywood TV writer, idea sources, professional formatting, what to sell and to whom, fee structures, collaboration, survival. Index.
Catron, Louis E., Playwriting: Writing, Producing, and Selling your Play (Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 1996) ISBN 0-88133-564-9, Waveland Press, P. O. Box 400, Prospect Heights, IL 60070, telephone 708-634-0081: Focuses upon one acts, with exercises to get you going, inspirational anecdotes, excerpts from classics to explain key concepts. You can contact Louis E. Catron via e-mail.
Catron, Louis E., The Elements of Playwriting (New York: Macmillan, 1993) 0-02-069291-9.: Not owned, but comes highly recommended.
DiMaggio, Madeline, How to Write for Television, (New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1990) ISBN 0-13-969973-2.: How to: develop a treatment and translate it into a finished script; create a riveting narrative, compelling characters, and lean, vivid dialog; incorporate a "hook" into your script to capture the audience's attention; write half-hour sitcoms and hour-long dramas; make contacts in the industry and negotiate a winning deal; devise a successful marketing strategy for a network, cable, or syndicated operation. Index.
Hull, Raymond, How to Write a Play (Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books, 1983), ISBN 0-89879-316-5.: Exercises help to check progress and avoid mistakes. Chapters on the playwright's business, history and conventions of the theatre, dramatic structure, conflict, characters, dialogue, action, complications, crises, catastrophes, conclusions, stage and its equipment, actors and directors and spectators, writing the play, special forms, production and publication, building a career, theatrical terms, recommended reading. Has index.
George, Kathleen, Playwriting: The First Workshop (Stoneham, MA: Focal Press, 1994).
King, Viki, How to Write a Movie in 21 Days: The Inner Movie Method (New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1988).: Offers a practical work schedule for writing. Chapters on the big picture, how to get ready, writing your movie in 21 days, embracing the impossible obstacles, the outer obstacles, the inner obstacles, there's no business like show business. Index.
Macauley, Robie, and George Lanning, Technique in Fiction, second edition revised and updated (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1987), ISBN 0-312-05168-9.: Discusses setting, plot, characterization, point-of-view, style, pace, tone, theme, all of which elements are applicable to one-act playwriting.
Nash, Constance, and Virginia Oakey, The Television Writer's Handbook, (New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1978) ISBN 0-89879-024-7.: Chapters on essential elements, development of idea, writing, formatting, interviewing, business, excerpts from teleplay and treatments. Index.
Pike, Frank, and Thomas G. Dunn, The Playwright's Handbook, (New York: New American Library, 1985).: Focuses on the full-length play format but has significant elements useful to the one-act playwright. About building skills, getting readings and performances, attracting producers, directors, actors, workshopping, approaching theatres all over America. Includes information about royalties, advances, tax breaks, scholarships, grants, contests, copyright laws, the Dramatists Guild, and agents.
Lewis, B. Roland, The Technique of the One Act Play (John Luce and Co., 1918).
In many university libraries. Recommended but not in my library.
Rockwell, F. A., How to Write Plots That Sell, (Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc., 1975) ISBN 0-8092-8350-6 (cloth), ISBN 0-8092-8249-6 (paper).: Former editor of Writer's Digest explains her techniques to find and develop plots.
Roddick, Ellen, Writing that Means Business, (New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1984) ISBN 0-02-604400-5.: Advice for nonfiction writing needs_after the script is finished and attention turns to marketing.
Root, Wells, Writing the Script: A Practical Guide for Films and Television, (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1979) ISBN 0-03-044221-4.: Evolved from an extension course at the University of California at Los Angeles. Discusses dramatic elements, writing process, marketing process. Index.
Sautter, Carl, How to Sell Your Screenplay: The Real Rules of Film and Television, (New York: New Chapter Press, 1988) ISBN 0-942257-07-3.: Explains the industry.
Seger, Linda, Making a Good Script Great, (New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1987) ISBN 0-573-60691-9 (cloth), ISBN 0-573-60690-0 (paperback).: Focuses on screenwriting. Includes useful examples from scripts.
Tarshis, Barry, How to Write Like a Pro, (New York: New American Library, 1982) ISBN 0-452-25411-6.

Go to Home Page of Small-Cast One-Act Guide Online

Bibliography for Playwrights

For the casual or serious playwright, for the novice or veteran, the following references should prove helpful. The list is idiosyncratic: copies reside in the Webmaster's office library for regular reference.

Quick Connections to Major Sections of This Guide

Quick Connections to Cast Size/Gender Menus

Small-Cast One-Act Guide Online

complements

the more-extensive print volumes

1/2/3/4 for the Show: A Guide to Small-Cast One-Act Plays, Vols. 1 and 2

(Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1995), ISBN 0-8108-2985-1, ISBN 0-8108-3600-9

Scarecrow Press, 4720 Boston Way, Lanham, Maryland 20706, U.S.A.