Understandability
This
book is very easy to read. Mr. Hauge clearly knows his
way around the writing business, and has also done a very
good job at organizing this book. I'll admit that I wasn't
expecting much (for I'm sure we've all been duped before
by books that promise the moon), but in this case I'm
the sure the reader will be pleasantly surprised.
I
really liked how the author frequently cited a variety
of popular movies and novels to illustrate his points,
as the reader will mostly likely have seen many of the
ones that the author references. I also appreciated how
he created a fictional pitch (for what actually sounds
like a good story idea) at the beginning of the book,
then referred to it continuously throughout. The best
screenplay/novel advice books are the ones that keep it
simple. I remember reading one book where the author created
new story ideas (and rather pathetic ideas, at that) for
each point he (or she) was trying to make. This author
also referenced obscure movies that I had never seen,
and as a result the book turned out to be just a big waste
of time. But thankfully there's no danger of time-wastage
while reading Selling Your Story.
Depth
of Information
For
such a small book, the author has managed to pack in a
good amount of information. He includes several step-by-step
lists, such as The 8 R's of Pitching, The 10 Key Components
of a Commercial Story, and The 10 Steps to a Powerful
Hit List. These types of lists are very helpful for disorganized
people like me, as it puts all the information together
in a concise format. The author also gives a detailed
explanation, with examples, on how to compose both a pitch
and a query letter, as well as advantages and disadvantages
of each. He talks about getting heard at "pitch fests,"
how to make cold calls, establishing rapport with a potential
buyer, and - a very important topic - overcoming awkward
moments. He lists some print resources, as well as web
pages, and suggests using books like The Writer's Market,
which is updated yearly. One added feature that I really
liked was the inclusion of pitching templates to match
several different genres, as well as several pages of
advice from real executives on the best and worst pitches
they've ever heard.
Attention
Captivation
I'll
admit, I'm a picky reader. As much as I love to read,
if a book doesn't grab my attention within the first few
pages, I'm out of there. But I couldn't put down Selling
Your Story. The author did a very good job at mixing humor
with seriousness. He gave a lot of very good advice, as
well as a lot of common-sense tips that most people don't
even think about.
For
example, one thing that the author keeps reiterating is,
when pitching a screenplay or a novel, don't try to tell
the whole story. You'll never get it down to five minutes,
let alone sixty seconds. And besides, he says, "If
you've got a story that can be told in five minutes, you've
got a story for a five-minute movie." Very good advice.
Reusability
The
great thing about this book is that it can be used over
and over again. Most writers don't plan on publishing
one great opus and then leaving the business; we want
to keep turning out book after book or screenplay after
screenplay. Therefore, we will constantly need to refer
to such a book in order to develop pitches and successfully
market each project as it comes along. The author even
suggests having multiple pitches prepared in case the
potential buyer passes on your first idea, in which case
you'll most likely find yourself doing a lot of highlighting
and page-turning. But of course, practice makes perfect.
Value
vs. Cost
Is this book worth the $12.95 price tag? In a word: yes!
For
one thing, that's not a very expensive book (maybe an
hour or two at work, mowing a lawn, or cleaning out Mom
and Dad's basement), and for the prospective writer, it's
an invaluable tool. After all, you could have the greatest
screenplay since Citizen Kane, or a manuscript
that will make you the next Tom Clancy, but if you can't
get anyone to read your masterpiece, it won't be good
for much of anything other than propping up the uneven
leg on the kitchen table.
Probably
the most important thing an author can learn is how to
sell your work. I'm sure we've all read books that perhaps
never should've been published, and it can get infuriating
to think, "My manuscript is a hundred times better
than that crap! How on earth did this shmuck get his book
published?" Well, chances are good that this shmuck
had a hell of a pitch. And you didn't. But that's where
a book like Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds comes
in, of course.
Overall
Comment
I was very impressed by this book (If you can't already
tell.) Selling and pitching can be such an arduous and
stressful task; it's a relief to see that someone with
such extensive knowledge has taken the time to compile
some good advice in an easy-to-follow format. I definitely
recommend this book to any perspective screenwriter or
novelist!
