“Tales from the Script gathers notable veterans of the screen wars who demonstrate the basic truth of our adventures in Movieland: Writing is the easy part.” — John Sayles, writer/director of Lone Star and Eight Men Out

“Fascinating tales from the belly of the beast.” — Lawrence Kasdan, Oscar-nominated writer/director of The Big Chill, Wyatt Earp, and Body Heat

Tales from the Script is an unprecedented collection of exclusive interviews with dozens of Hollywood screenwriters—including industry legends Bruce Joel Rubin, David S. Ward, Nora Ephron, Paul Mazursky, John August, Steven De Souza, and Paul Schrader. In these conversations, they reveal the secrets behind their successes and failures, offer uplifting stories about how faith in their talent has empowered their careers, and share colorful, entertaining anecdotes about popular movie stars and films.

Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Much like The Mailroom (2003), which looked at the wheeling and dealing in Hollywood from the perspectives of power players who came up through agency mailrooms, Tales from the Script offers a comprehensive look at the realities of working as a screenwriter from the perspective of those who have made careers out of writing for the big screen. Editors Hanson and Herman interviewed 50 writers for the book, including William Goldman, Antwone Fisher, and Nora Ephron. The writers offer candid thoughts and anecdotes about everything from breaking into the business to learning how to accept rejection, from finding a niche in the business to dealing with getting fired off a project. In between the writers’ commentary are sections that feature thoughts from others involved in the business, including a contest judge, a development executive, and a therapist. “There is a sense of being in the Old West here—it’s like panning for gold,” writer Steve Koren opines. In all, this overview captures the excitement, frustration, and reality of being a working screenwriter in an accessible and essential volume that aspiring screenwriters will devour. --Kristine Huntley