Art Of Dramatic Writing: Its Basis in the Creative Interpretation of Human Motives 
asked by mullers on November 22, 2006 5:29 PM
For many years, Lajos Egri's highly opinionated but very enjoyable The Art of Dramatic Writing has been a well-guarded secret of playwrights, scriptwriters, and writers for television. Unlike many other books on playwrighting (several of which Egri criticizes during the course of this one), the author's systematic breakdown of the essentials for creating successful realistic plays and screenplays effectively demystifies the process of creative writing. Egri, who formulated his thoughts about "a well-made play" during its heyday (the 1940s and '50s), places a premium on an exhaustive analysis of characters and discussion of their psychological motivations. The writer is exhorted to find a premise to explore and to discover which characters will most effectively demonstrate this thesis, then is shown how most effectively to place them into conflict with each other. Conflict itself is also discussed, particularly how to create scenarios in which the crisis develops at a pace that feels unforced and natural. While Egri's view of the well-made play has little space for either the spare musings of Beckett and Pinter or the conscious excesses of non-narrative and other experimental writing, it nonetheless remains an essential text for writers drawn to realistic drama, and to any writer interested in the fundamental motivations of human behavior. --John Longenbaugh
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This is a no-nonsense book which emphasizes how important it is for a playwright to focus on what he wants to say.
If his theme can't be articulated in one sentence, then it most likely will not be a well thought out, clearly conceived story.
If his theme can't be articulated in one sentence, then it most likely will not be a well thought out, clearly conceived story.
reviewed by willie on November 27, 2006 5:22 PM
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The book is beautifully written in a style that makes you feel that the author wants you to succeed. Many books on writing seem more concerned with why the author himself/herself believes he/she is a great writer. This book is an actual guide for writing. Lajos Egri has a love for building memorable characters and through the use of examples and Q/A sessions, he teaches the craft. If you want to write, this book is a must.
reviewed by allnet on November 28, 2006 4:41 PM
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I'd reccomend that writers read this book and take notes and/or mark it up with a highlighter. Nuggets and chunks of information are scattered throughout.
The main problem is one that lies in "Poetics," by Aristotle, as well. Both books were written so long ago, that they reference extremely outdated material and, at times, use long passages from these old plays. The result is a struggle and a chore for the reader to get through what is mostly boring, unuseable, and unhelpful dialogue and scenes for screenwriters and novelists of today.
The techniques and thhory behind what Mr. Egri preaches is on point and pretty sound, though I find it ironic that most people consider this book and "Poetics" to be two books that all writers should read, yet Lajos Egri disagrees with Aristotle on may points. Interesting. Very interesting.
Writing, as in any creative art, has many teachers. No one is 100% correct. You can learn something from anyone, and you probably have something you could teach to other artists too. Pick out the best from this, and other books, and use the information to write something brilliant. "That Art Of Dramatic Writing" can definitely help you do that.
The main problem is one that lies in "Poetics," by Aristotle, as well. Both books were written so long ago, that they reference extremely outdated material and, at times, use long passages from these old plays. The result is a struggle and a chore for the reader to get through what is mostly boring, unuseable, and unhelpful dialogue and scenes for screenwriters and novelists of today.
The techniques and thhory behind what Mr. Egri preaches is on point and pretty sound, though I find it ironic that most people consider this book and "Poetics" to be two books that all writers should read, yet Lajos Egri disagrees with Aristotle on may points. Interesting. Very interesting.
Writing, as in any creative art, has many teachers. No one is 100% correct. You can learn something from anyone, and you probably have something you could teach to other artists too. Pick out the best from this, and other books, and use the information to write something brilliant. "That Art Of Dramatic Writing" can definitely help you do that.
reviewed by jazzman on November 29, 2006 10:59 AM
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This work offers some very good insight into preparing the dramatic work and is a must read for the serious student and learned writer.
The flaw that this work has is its organization (or lack thereof) in not providing a systematic break-down (bulleted perhaps) of the key concepts, aspects, and issues while providing necessary but longwinded examples intermixed with the former. However, once disected, the material is invaluable.
The flaw that this work has is its organization (or lack thereof) in not providing a systematic break-down (bulleted perhaps) of the key concepts, aspects, and issues while providing necessary but longwinded examples intermixed with the former. However, once disected, the material is invaluable.
reviewed by artdealer on November 29, 2006 12:50 PM
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What Lajos Egri will show you:
* Formulate your premise. Premise is a statement, idea, or conviction that your story proves true. For example, the premise of Romeo and Juliet would be something like "Love defies even death."
* Choose a pivotal character who will force the conflict.
* Orchestrate the other characters. The unity of opposites must be binding. Polar opposites must form a dialectic which creates a unified tension.
* Be careful to select the correct point of attack. Every point of attack starts with conflict.
* There are several types of conflict, such as jumping conflict, but you only want rising or foreshadowing conflict.
* No conflict can rise without perpetual exposition, which is transition. For example, a character going about his daily life doesn't suddenly become a NAZI, it happens in gradual steps--transition.
* Rising conflict, the product of exposition and transition, will ensure growth.
* Characters must conflict--there must be some polarity.
* Crisis will lead to climax. Climax will lead to conclusion.
* Dialogue should come from the voice of the character, not the writer.
Many TV, film, and novel plots and characters lack compelling conflict. The characters are just floating by... until something big happens. Lajos Egri illustrates how to change all this.
* Formulate your premise. Premise is a statement, idea, or conviction that your story proves true. For example, the premise of Romeo and Juliet would be something like "Love defies even death."
* Choose a pivotal character who will force the conflict.
* Orchestrate the other characters. The unity of opposites must be binding. Polar opposites must form a dialectic which creates a unified tension.
* Be careful to select the correct point of attack. Every point of attack starts with conflict.
* There are several types of conflict, such as jumping conflict, but you only want rising or foreshadowing conflict.
* No conflict can rise without perpetual exposition, which is transition. For example, a character going about his daily life doesn't suddenly become a NAZI, it happens in gradual steps--transition.
* Rising conflict, the product of exposition and transition, will ensure growth.
* Characters must conflict--there must be some polarity.
* Crisis will lead to climax. Climax will lead to conclusion.
* Dialogue should come from the voice of the character, not the writer.
Many TV, film, and novel plots and characters lack compelling conflict. The characters are just floating by... until something big happens. Lajos Egri illustrates how to change all this.
reviewed by onthemic on November 29, 2006 12:55 PM