Yves Lavandier’s Writing Drama, a comprehensive guide for playwrights and scriptwriters scriptwriters (translated by Bernard Besserglik)  is that rare kind of writing textbook: Inspirational and instructive yet fun to read. Lavandier, who is French, brings a European perspective to the art and craft of writing. He cites over 1400 works-not just film but TV shows, plays, comic books, operas, and even the circus-to get at what drama consist of and how we write it.

Starting with the basics of conflict and emotion, Lavandier analyses each aspect of  drama and human nature and offers examples of classical to modern works to back-up, and often times, disagree with his points. One idea that struck me was his emphasis on the audience and how the writer must think of it in every stage of the writing. To not do so is to have not only a flawed film but a bad script as well. Very, very, good advice. If every writer will think of the role of the audience when he or she sits down to write, we would have stronger films and plays.

I also gained a lot of insight in his chapter on Dramatic Irony, which is when a character lacks an essential piece of information that the spectator is in on. Many examples are gone into in depth to illustrate this principle and how it works-or not-in practice. In a part entitled The Local Mechanisms, Lavandier explores Exposition, Activity, Dialogue, and Effects and how they are used in works of high and ‘low’art.

Lavandier breaks down two classic pieces of drama, Moliere’s The School for Wives and Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, using what he calls The Synthetic Model which he defines as “a canonical form or prototype that identifies the recurring techniques in classic works as Aristotle did.” I think everyone is in agreement that you have to learn the rules of writing first before breaking them. Admittedly this brings us some repetitive boring movies, especially from many Hollywood studios, but it need not Lavandier argues, as The Synthetic Model provides only a framework, leaving the writer to pour his soul into it. Lavandier provides several exercises for the writer to sharpen his or her skills, work with concepts, and other mechanics for a good script.

Having read several books on screenwriting, I would say that Yves Lavandier’s work is one of the best I have come across. I will refer to it often in the future while working on scripts. Highly recommended. Go here to read an interview with the author and how to get a copy.