Aristotle's Poetics for Screenwriters: Storytelling Secrets from the Greatest Mind in Western Civilization » (1ST)

Long considered the bible for storytellers, Aristotle's Poetics is a fixture of college courses on everything from fiction writing to dramatic theory. Now story analyst Michael Tierno shows how this classic work can be an invaluable resource for beginning and advanced screenwriters or anyone interested in studying plot structure. In Aristotle's Poetics for Screenwriters, Tierno examines the fundamentals of screenwriting using techniques outlined in the Poetics, then applies these concepts to modern movie classics, including Citizen Kane, Rocky, Pulp Fiction, and many more. This highly readable guide covers a multitude of topics, from plotting and subplotting to dialogue and dramatic unity. Along the way, Tierno also gives tips based on his years as a story analyst, where he has learned what studios look for when they read a screenplay. His quick wit and easy-to-follow explanations of some of the Poetics' most difficult passages illuminate one of the most important books on story structure ever written.

Variety.com

Makes the precepts accessible with easy comparisons to contemporary hits.