Playwright's Guidebook, The: An Insightful Primer on the Art of Dramatic Writing - Softcover

Spencer, Stuart

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0571199917 ISBN 13: 9780571199914

Publisher: FSG Adult, 2002

Synopsis

During the more than ten years that Stuart Spencer has taught playwriting, he has struggled to find an effective handbook for his courses. Although most of the currently popular guides contain useful ideas, they all suffer from the same problems: poor organization; quirky, idiosyncratic advice; and abstract theorizing on the nature of art. As a result, they fail to offer any concrete information or useful guidelines on how to construct a well-written play. Out of frustration, Spencer wrote his own. The result, The Playwright's Guidebook, is a concise and engaging handbook full of the kind of wisdom that comes naturally with experience. Spencer presents a coherent way of thinking about playwriting that addresses the important principles of structure, includes invaluable writing exercises that build upon one another, explores the creative process, and troubleshoots recurrent problems that many playwrights face.

About this title

Review:

"Stuart Spencer's meticulous handbook does something I had thought was almost impossible: it describes, clarifies and analyzes the mysterious process of building a play. And moreover, he does so with the grace and respect of a first-rate teacher for the intelligence and potential of his students. There is no ideology, no formula for instant success here. Just the distilled experience of a real practitioner generous enough to share, and reliable enough to be trusted." --Jon Robin Baitz, author of Ten Unknowns and Substance of Fire

"Stuart Spencer's The Playwright's Guidebook is indispensable. Clearly and thoroughly, Mr. Spencer--a playwright himself--leads all playwrights (not only the beginner) through the travails of creation and the jungle of production. He is to be congratulated." --Edward Albee

"Eureka! A clearly written, well-structured, intelligent how-to book about playwrighting. Like the good teacher and good writer that he is, Stuart Spencer guides rather than browbeats. Should be next to the laptop of any aspiring, or working, playwright." --Warren Leight, author of Side Man

"If you want to be a playwright, here's your bible." --David Lindsay-Abaire, author of Fuddy Meers and Wonder of the World

"At last! A straight-from-the-shoulder approach to playwrighting that finally blows the dust off much of the mystique surrounding this craft. Stuart Spencer writes with wit, insight, clarity, brilliant first-hand knowledge, and yes, finally, offers genuine help! Refreshing and beautifully organized, this book is long overdue." --Jack O'Brien, Artistic Director, The Globe Theatres, San Diego

"A sensible, lucid, thorough and tremendously helpful journey into the always mysterious realities of playwrighting." --Romulus Linney, author of The Sorrows of Frederick, Holy Ghosts, and Tennessee

"Mr. Spencer's guidebook is full of solid, straightforward advice in a conversational voice that takes the mystery out of how plays are wrought, not written." --Michael Weller, author of Moon Children and Loose Ends

Book Description:

The Playwright's Guidebook, by Stuart Spencer, is a concise and engaging handbook full of the kind of wisdom that comes naturally with experience, presenting a coherant way of thinking about playwriting and including invaluable writing exercises.

About this edition

• Publisher: FSG Adult
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0571199917
• ISBN 13: 9780571199914
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 394