One of the places I wandered into yesterday in Gastown was Biz Books, a nice and cozy little Film/TV/Theatre bookstore. Toronto's version is called Theatrebooks, and it's in the middle of Yorkvile -- a place I try to avoid. Biz Books is a whole lot more comfy.I think maybe I was softened a bit to buy some industry-like books, cause the night before I'd seen an excellent production of Morris Panych's Vigil at the Vancouver Playhouse. I'd never seen this play, and I thoroughly enjoyed it; even more so knowing it was the playwright's first time playing the role.
I was also weak because, you know, I've got this ongoing yen for playwriting that's kind of like a scab I can never stop picking. Believe me, if I'm down on the Canadian TV industry, then I'd be swinging from the rafters if I ever truly threw myself into theatre and tried to be a full time...shudder...Canadian playwrightC. As I've said to friends many times, "Ah, that sweet, sweet, sweet theatre money."
So I dropped a ton of cash on lots of books. And before you ask, Alex, yes. They had both your books. And they were shelved in some pretty good real estate too -- right at eye level.
Anyway...I started out with a copy of Conor McPherson's Shining City because I saw the play last year on Broadway and loved it.
Peter Farrelly's The Comedy Writer was a trade paperback impulse buy. Novels about the business -- it's like not working, only not so much!
I've been thinking for a while that I need to sharpen my verbal pitching skills. I'm starting to be one of those guys who goes off on tangents when he tells a story, so I figured Michael Hauge's Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds might be useful.
I remember hearing about Writing the TV Drama Series by Pamela Douglas, but I really bought it because it had pull quotes by John Wells, David Milch, and Bochco. And a nifty cover. There you go, bitches. Marketing works.
I know some of the people quoted in Alone in a Room by John Scott Lewinski so I took a flyer on that.
And finally, I bought another copy of Steven Pressfield's ESSENTIAL The War of Art because I left my last copy on the A Train the last time I was in New York.I also picked up Joseph Campbell's The Hero With a Thousand Faces because (shamefully, I know) I've never read it.
What's sometimes even more interesting in these cases are the ones you don't buy. I recall some people talking about Save The Cat! Anybody read it? Worthwhile?
I also was seriously considering buying a book by some guy with a PhD who ran down psychology for screenwriters...but I was afraid that if I read it it might make me sound less like a writer and more like a network executive or film studies professor.
I'll let you know about these books as I work through them. Now maybe I should find something cheaper to do, like trying to stalk The Police while they're here rehearsing.
Oh, one more thing...when I was complaining about the lack of pubs, some anonymous commenter suggested The Irish Heather. You win. Mmm. Guinness, how I've missed you.
A note to any publisher P.R. people reading this: I do love the people at Biz Books, but yes, I will definitely review books on TV writing if you send me free copies. That's just how daddy rolls.
