Amazon.com description: Product Description: Designed as a down-to-earth, practical guide to the craft of screenwriting, WRITING THE PICTURE covers everything a screenwriter needs to know, from basic elements to advanced techniques. The book is intended to help writers choose, develop, and perfect their stories while avoiding common mistakes. From conception to completion, it covers every step of the process with a wealth of practical examples and exercises designed to avoid a formulaic approach. Professors Russin and Downs also cover marketing screenplays and the alternatives of television and playwriting.