Every film buff has had the notion—“Hey, I could write a movie…” Two Hollywood creatives show you how the pros do it, and pull back the curtain on how executives develop them. In How to Write a Screenplay, Joshua L. Ritter and Joe Salwen present a step-by-step workbook and guide that takes aspiring and established storytellers from ideation to a complete blueprint of a feature film. The workbook’s 12 tabbed sections are packed with tips, inside information and interactive exercises that help you put it down on paper and equip you with the tools to write and refine your idea.

You’ll start by identifying what inspires and ignites you—and how it will fuel the story you want to tell.  Then you’ll define your protagonist, antagonist and supporting characters. Build the world of your film in Act I, create a beat-by-beat story structure of Act II, and learn the secret elements of a compelling Act III.

Included are deep dives on writing dialogue, drafting scenes and storyboarding, and outlining your story points using index cards—and even a section on condensing your screenplay into a quick and focused ‘elevator pitch’ designed to communicate the essence of the film you want to make.

If you’ve ever longed to write your own movie, this is the Master Class for you. 

Advance Praise for How to Write a Screenplay

“Effective exercises that get you writing immediately.”
“Interwoven into this workbook are real-life examples, pro tips, and creative prompts that help you approach the creative process from a commercial perspective and set you up for the best chance of success. This is essential reading for both aspiring and seasoned screenwriters.”—Saskia Duff, co-producer of The Brutalist and executive producer of The Testament of Ann Lee

Even More Advance Applause Here

About the Authors

Joshua L. Ritter grew up in Boulder, Colorado, as the youngest of four siblings. He double-majored at the University of Arizona, earning a BA in film and television and a BS in speech, language, and hearing sciences. Driven by his love of science fiction, Joshua also completed a minor in astronomy, which often plays a major role in science fiction. It’s a passion that still inspires him today—just ask his dog, Mars (pictured with Josh)! Joshua has a proven track record as both an entertainment executive and a screenwriter. He was a core part of the development team behind three Netflix films that hit No.1 globally: Outside the Wire, The Weekend Away, and End of the Road. He has extensive production experience on set, advancing from his first job on Big Brother to working on big-budget movies like Night Teeth. As a creative executive at Sustainable Imagination, Joshua developed projects under the company’s first-look deal with Lionsgate. During his tenure, he oversaw the Peacock film If You Were the Last, and helped package Miramax’s Scandalous! starring Sydney Sweeney. Joshua’s screenwriting career kicked off after he placed in several screenplay competitions, including the Austin Film Festival and the Hollywood Screenplay Contest. In 2024, Joshua optioned a screenplay that he co-wrote for Dimension Studio/DNEG. 

Joe Salwen is a creative, producer, and executive who has been credited on titles ranging from Academy Award-winning theatrical releases to commercially successful streaming hits on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. He graduated from Northwestern University with a BA in screenwriting. Joe has developed and produced films across genres, ranging from sports dramas to creature features, true crime, dramedies, sci-fi, and action thrillers. His recent credits include Brady Corbet’s three-time Oscar-winning epic The Brutalist, starring Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, and Guy Pearce; and Amazon’s My Fault: London, a breakout hit that led to the commissioning of two sequels. Prior to that, Joe was a production executive at the management and production company 42, where he oversaw the British Independent Film Award winner The Silent Twins in addition to other titles. Joe splits his time between LA and London, where he lives with his Pomeranian, Arlo (pictured with Joe).

Meet your Master Class screenplay gurus on our Well-Read Life™ blog.