Story

Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting

By: Robert McKee

Narrated by: Robert McKee

Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Robert McKee's screenwriting workshops have earned him an international reputation for inspiring novices, refining works in progress, and putting major screenwriting careers back on track. Quincy Jones, Diane Keaton, Gloria Steinem, Julia Roberts, John Cleese, and David Bowie are just a few of his celebrity alumni. Writers, producers, development executives, and agents all flock to his lecture series, praising it as a mesmerizing and intense learning experience.

In Story, McKee expands on the concepts he teaches in his $450 seminars (considered a must by industry insiders), providing listeners with the most comprehensive, integrated explanation of the craft of writing for the screen. No one better understands how all the elements of a screenplay fit together, and no one is better qualified to explain the "magic" of story construction and the relationship between structure and character than Robert McKee.

©1997 Robert McKee (P)1997, 2005 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The man speaks, and people start to take furious notes; he is now the undisputed screenwriting king." (Newsday)

instructive,precise,dogmatic,humorless,poignant

extremely educational if dry. the author is extremely knowledgable although seemingly inflexible at times. a must read.

The first resource for a storyteller.

Some of the best and most widely used principles of storytelling, perfectly told. While saving to pay a well spent thousand dollars on one of McKee's workshops, feast your ears on this for 98 percent off.

so helpful!

Practical and theoretical teaching on story development that would make sense to anyone at any skill level. The author covers broad principles and strategies on how to develop good stories, characters and ideas and throws in specific tips on pitfalls to avoid. Planning to listen again soon.

The Master. Period.

I've taken the seminar twice in the last 10 years. Read "Story" and worked it's lessons and techniques. This audiobook is indispensable McKee wisdom at your beck and call. It's a tool you use over and over, always finding new knowledge as your craft grows. Like a flathead screwdriver, you'll never stop using it.

Fantastic content, but the chapters are off

The content of this book is great. There's a reason this was the first to come up when I searched for books on screenwriting. However, tread carefully. The chapters of this book are not organized correctly, they cut in the middle of the book's chapters and quickly transition between chapters without notifying the listener. I would recommend looking up a table of contents for the actual book and following along, so you have a better idea of which subjects are being discussed.

My Bible for Writing

I've been reading and listening to this book since 2003 and admit to always gleaning from it.

Wow - so much here

I listened to this on a long car drive and by occasionally rewinding (actually several times so I could really get the point) I understood everything in this audio book. Several times I stopped the car and clipped and notated some points - it was *that* useful.

I loved the examples he used throughout and I especially loved the last 30 mins or so with the steps for writing from the inside out. I listened to that again when I got home.

I can't wait to get started!

a must for burgeoning screen writers.

read the damn book. listen to it if you can't read it. do this and discover a love for your ideas as they come to life before your eyes.

Essential

This book was very insightful for me as an aspiring writer. Truly recommended. The narration was fantastic as well.

Excellent resource

Loved Robert as a narrator. Revealed elements of writing I have struggled with since highschool