Zen and the Art of Screenwriting Volume 1: Insights and Interviews

Twilight Zone and Playhouse 90 veteran William Froug gives indispensable advice in that the Zen encourages you to be true to your voice, write what you want, and dispense with all those books that straitjacket you into a formula. Think of the money you'll save! (Unless, of course, you have an urgent need to write a Speed or Die Hard sequel.) Froug also reinforces my Northern California bias (my home turf): two of the interviews that pepper this book are with screenwriters who live there--Bo Goldman and David and Janet Peoples.