Writing, Producing and Selling Your Play by Louis E. Catron

Writing, Producing and Selling Your Play Reviews

• 
  Tim

  This had its good points, but it had its share of weaknesses too. For one thing, the title is misleading - the book is almost entirely about the writing process. There is virtually nothing in here about how to go about producing a play or selling one. Another gripe is that the examples are pretty out-of-date. Catron picks great pieces to discuss, such as "Macbeth", which he devotes a lot of time to - but there are very few examples of successful works since the 1960s.
  
  Catron uses Aristotle's elements of drama as a starting point, and there are good discussions regarding plotting and other subjects. He is a big believer in the idea of a writer's credo, a document in which the writer lays out his beliefs and intentions about writing. He got me writing one, but contrary to his teaching, it did not really provide me with a bedrock foundation from which ideas and techniques could flow. He also recommends keeping a journal and doing quick treatments of ideas, both things that I have tried.
  
  Unfortunately I found the author's style to be a bit cliched, which is not exactly inspiring. I may hang onto this because of its sections on plot and Aristotle's six elements of drama, but overall I cannot wholeheartedly recommend it as a writing textbook.