Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting

I found this book to be very helpful. In fact, after I listened to it, I bought it to have handy as a reference. This book can be difficult to listen to as it contains a lot if intricate information that is best absorbed on the page; however, the audio version did its good by introducing me to the book and getting my creative juices going.

All writers should at least read/listen to Robert McKee's Story. The 6+ hours were incredibly valuable to me, I've had his tome on my shelf for years, its sheer size continued to put me off. Over the course of a week I was able to polish this off and I'm wishing I had bought the audio version years ago.

McKee is a great narrator which makes the audio book fly by. His understanding of storytelling is masterful and I think most writer will get something from it.

Highly recommend it.

An essential read for anyone thinking about writing a screenplay. Filled with very useful advice and specific examples to back up that advice. I have listened to it 3 times.

My only complaint is that the book was not longer. I could have used even more detail.

Although I have a tremendous amount of respect for author Robert McKee, and own the hardcover and Kindle version of his book Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and The Principles of Screenwriting, I am VERY dissatisfied with the audio book version of his work.

This audio book version of Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting is abridged and only includes five chapters. The print and electronic versions of the book include nineteen chapters.

Considering the cost of this audio book, compared to the cost of the print and electronic editions, I personally feel that if you purchase this title (with only five chapters) you are throwing your money away because it lacks too much valuable content.

My personal opinion is that I highly recommend this book and have heard him lecture many times before. He explains in detail the principles of writing and the importance of structure. This book is good for anyone one who is a movie fan to someone that’s in or interested in the entertainment business, (not just writers, actors, producers, directors, agents, not matter the craft you use or where you studied. This book gives you a great understanding of the process of story and for your average Joe, you will appreciate films much more than you did before with a better understanding of what the author is telling you and better understanding of what the filmmakers, TV producer’s, and even actors did with the story and how they made it happen. He is very funny and he is intriguing to listen to. His former students are amongst the successful writers and others in the industry.
He is in NYC right now and has a seminar this coming weekend. Robert’s last seminar for the next two years in the states this weekend, so if you are interested and can or cannot make it get the book either way. He knows his stuff and its great to see Audible adding books that have real educational/practical/fun value. If you like film, this book or audio book is necessity to have! It is worthwhile and the price is great for the information you get.

McKee's Story has become so popular and influential that it's easy to forget the the author has never sold a screenplay for the sort of blockbuster he claims his approach will help you create. That's not to say he's a hack or a dud, he certainly has experience in the story telling business, but if his magical insights were as spot on as his confidence would have you believe, he would be making a living selling scripts instead of giving lectures on how to write scripts.

That said, I think Story is the sort of book that ALL writers should read at some point. Fiction, non fiction, screenplay, and novel writers will learn some very concrete techniques to add energy to their work.

If you haven't seen the movie Adaptation, it features a fictionalized McKee.

In addition to Story, I recommend "The Hero's Two Journeys" it's another concrete breakdown of what makes a story work (especially in Hollywood) by two guys who DO have all kinds of writing credits.

Mr. McKee is detailed about what works and blunt about what doesn't; no beating around the bush.

This book is precisely what it claims to be.

Ignore S. Buck's review that states this is only 5 chapters of the book. It is the entire book in an ABRIDGED version, as the description states. It is just broken up into 5 Audible "chapters" that do not relate to the chapters of the book. Doubtful that this person actually listened to the audiobook.

In any event, it is a good intro to McKee's book, and may encourage you to buy the complete print edition for a fuller experience of McKee's teachings.

The information is fantastic but, Robert McKee's reading voice is a bit of a snooze. I found myself easily distracted like I was in an Earth Science lecture during my freshman year of college.

I will be taking Mr. Mckee's lecture in LA in a few weeks and I am really looking forward to it. Now that I have listened to his book in his voice, I am even more excited about the lecture. This audio was excellent. He truly is the world expert in screenplay writing. The concepts and techniques that he mentions in the audio are crisp and exciting and I now feel more prepared, confident and skilled to begin my own screenplay. I am expecting the book soon and will review the concepts and graphs before the lecture, and I will also listen to the audio again, because I think it's worth at least one more listening session.