1. Introduction: The emotion-delivery business

• Why another screenwriting book?
• Thinking about emotion
• Hollywood is in the emotion-delivery business
• Craft means evoking emotion
• Your double task as a writer
• The three types of storytelling emotions
• Character emotions vs. Reader emotions
• What this book offers
• Writer beware

2. The reader: Your only audience

• We are your first audience
• We're the gatekeepers
• We're intelligent and plugged in
• We're poorly paid, overwWorked, and frustrated
• We're on your side
• What we do
• Why we reject scripts
• What want in a reading experience

3. Concept: Unique attraction

• The basics: What you need to know
  • In hollywood, the idea is king
  • Concept sells
• The craft: Energizing your idea
  • Ideal emotional responses to a concept
  • What makes an idea appealing
  • A note about "high concepts"
  • Don't write what you know
  • 12 Ways to increase your idea's appeal
  • Creating an appealing title
  • Choosing a popular genre
• On the page: Concept in action

4. Theme: Universal meaning

• The basics: What you need to know
  • Why theme matters
  • Persuading and entertaining, not preaching
• The craft: Revealing theme with subtlety
  • Universal themes
  • Finding your vision
  • Nine theme techniques to show, not tell
• On the page: Theme in action

5. Character: Captivating empathy

• The basics: What you need to know
  • The five key questions for building a character
• The craft: Connecting with characters
  • Revealing character and transformation
  • Character exposition (show, don't tell)
  • Six ways to reveal character on the page
  • Connecting with character
  • Holding the reader's attention
  • Three ways to connect wWith character
  • Techniques for instant character appeal and empathy
• On the page: Character in action

6. Story: Rising tension

• The basics: What you need to know
  • What's a dramatic story
  • Story vs. Plot
• The craft: Engaging the reader from beginning to end
  • Interest/fascination/insight/awe
  • Curiosity/wonder/intrigue
  • Anticipation/hope/worry/fear
  • Suspense/tension/anxiety/concern/doubt
  • Surprise/dismay/amusement
  • Thrill/joy/laughter/sadness/triumph
  • Empathy/compassion/admiration/contempt
  • Melodrama and sentimentality
• On the page: Story in action

7. Structure: Engaging design

• The basics: What you need to know
• The craft: The emotional elements of each act
  • Act I — Attraction
  • Act II — Tension and anticipation
  • Act III — Satisfaction
• On the page: Structure in action

8. Scenes: Mesmerizing moments

• The basics: What you need to know
  • Exposition scenes
  • Spectacle scenes
  • Dramatic scenes
  • A scene is a mini-story
  • Key elements of a dramatic scene
• The craft: Writing great scenes
  • Techniques to craft fascinating scenes
  • The emotional palette
  • Active dialogue
• On the page: Scene in action

9. Description: Riveting style

• The basics: What you need to know
  • Common amateur mistakes
  • The basics of screenwriting narrative
• The craft: Writing that moves
  • Commanding attention
  • Creating motion
  • Generating a riveting reading experience
  • Describing characters
  • Describing locations
  • Bonus professional tips
• On the page: Description in action

10. Dialogue: Vivid voices

• The basics: What you need to know
  • Characteristics of great dialogue
  • Avoiding the most common dialogue flaws
• The craft: Writing vivid dialogue
  • Techniques for emotional impact
  • Techniques for individual dialogue
  • Techniques for subtle exposition
  • Techniques for subtext
  • When on-the-nose dialogue is acceptable
• It takes a lot of rewriting
• Test your dialogue
• Study the masters of dialogue

11. Final thoughts: Painting on the page

• Rewriting tips
• Learn more by reading scripts
• You're a painter on the page