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Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays (Writing & Selling Screenplays) Paperback – April 1, 2014

by Lucy V. Hay (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 49 ratings
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The lowdown on not only getting a thriller feature script on the page, but also getting it in front of producers and investors

From premise to resolution, this book guides writers through the craft of thriller writing, citing classic thrillers such as Psycho, The Shining, The Sixth Sense, and Fatal Attraction, and lesser-known gems like Red Eye, Desperate Measures, Impostor, and Drive. The book also considers how the screenplay might be sold to investors, looking at high concept ideas, pitching, packaging, and the realities of film finance. It answers such common questions as What is flight vs. fight? What is the difference between horror and thriller? What are the different sub genres of thriller? What part do actors play in film finance? How can limited locations create new opportunities in storytelling and financing? Why is the lone protagonist so in demand? and Why are female characters so popular in thriller?

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  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Creative Essentials
  4. Publication date
    April 1, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 0.7 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1842439715
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1842439715
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lucy V. Hay is a novelist, script editor, and script reader, and one of the founding organizers of the London Screenwriters' Festival.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Creative Essentials
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 1, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1842439715
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1842439715
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.7 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 49 ratings

About the author

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Lucy Hay

Lucy Hay

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Lucy V. Hay is a script editor, author and blogger who helps writers. She's been the script editor and advisor on numerous UK features and shorts & has also been a script reader for over 15 years, providing coverage for indie prodcos, investors, screen agencies, producers, directors and individual writers. She's also an author, publishing as both LV Hay and Lizzie Fry; Lizzie's latest, THE COVEN, is out now with Sphere Books and LV's debut crime novel THE OTHER TWIN is being adapted by the Emmy-nominated Free@Last TV. Lucy's site at www.bang2write.com has appeared in Top 100 round ups for Writer's Digest & The Write Life, as well as been a UK Blog Awards Finalist and Feedspot's #1 Screenwriting blog in the UK (tenth in the world!).

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
49 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Simon Abbott
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2015
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Great book - learned a lot! Lucy Hay really knows her stuff.!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Joanne C. Laplante
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2016
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I am not getting to know about the screenplays.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Henry Sheppard
    4.0 out of 5 stars Writing a thriller? You need to read this book.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2014
    Format: Paperback
    'Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays' is a 223 page paperback, with index, arranged in three parts.

    The first settles the question of "What is a thriller?" Lucy breaks the thriller genre into 22 sub-genres, and explains and illustrates each with examples. Then she analyses thrillers from the point-of-view of the protagonist, and comes up with eight common male protagonists in thrillers, and ten female equivalents. That's a total of forty different ways to slice up the thriller pie. If you want to write one, you need to have a grip on this stuff.

    Part two addresses the business of writing your thriller screenplay. Please note: this has nothing to do with outlining formulas or beat sheets or any of those aids other people have written about so ably. The "writing of" section covers tools which are frequently underrated by newbie writers: premise, logline and story outline. What elements will you find in the logline of a marketable screenplay? This book tells you, with real life illustrations. Screenplays are about conflict, but how much conflict is enough? When does your protagonist move from flight to fight? How do you bring your story to a resolution? Everyone knows that the first ten pages of a screenplay are vital in grabbing a reader's attention, but what are the traps to avoid? They're listed here.

    Part three is all about getting ready to sell your screenplay. As someone who has been asked for feedback on screenplays in the past, I know that many newbie writers have no idea of how to handle it. Lucy provides five questions the writer should ask about feedback that will put a boundary in place and help them maintain their equilibrium. Probably the biggest single question to ask about a screenplay, before you thrust it before the eyes of a startled world, would be, Is this screenplay ready? Most I've seen were so far from ready that a few honest comments generated despair. Good work was thrown aside, interesting projects abandoned, and writers with potential were left tottering on the edge of true failure, which is to quit writing altogether.

    Assuming the screenplay is ready, the next step is to pitch it to the people with the power to get it made into a film. What are the basics of a pitch? Do you know how to handle an emergency pitch, a one-page pitch, an advanced pitch? Can you write an appealing treatment? What are the common mistakes that turn readers off a pitch?

    At this point you'll be dreaming of a simple sale, a large cheque and an Academy Award. Keep dreaming! Better yet, stay awake and read Lucy's observations on the myriad tracks that can open up before you as you wend your way through the undergrowth of Potential-Filmmaker Forest. Have you considered transmedia? Do you know how to use your sample screenplay open a door into the industry? How should you respond to an offer of an option? How do you find a producer, or a director? There's a lot to consider and Lucy lays much of it out before you. If you've sold several screenplays, you don't need this book. If you're a newbie—somebody standing on the edge, looking in—this might be the book you've been searching for. And if you're even thinking about writing a thriller, you'd be nuts not to buy and read 'Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays' by Lucy V. Hay.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Romona Robinson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays -- a must for starting out in the genre! Big time help!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2014
    Format: Kindle
    Lucy Hay's Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays was an absolute godsend for my thriller rewrite as I ventured into this genre.

    Once immersed, the reader can tell that this is a book written by someone who truly loves film and has immersed herself in the thriller genre. Ms. Hay basically saves you hours of analysis and research -- she does it for you by breaking it down in this wonderful book that I can't gush enough about. I've worn its edges, marked up and highlighted throughout.

    In Part One, she breaks down what defines a thriller (it's definitely not horror and explains why sometimes there is overlap) and its sub-genres. Issues that one finds in thrillers, so hopefully you don't do the same while writing your spec. I think there's a breakdown of at least 35-40 different male protagonist characters that you find in thrillers along with a number of female and child characters that pop up in thrillers. She doesn't leave out how secondary characters can play an effective role in thrillers and shouldn't be neglected in development. Basically, part one lays down the foundation of what constitutes a thriller and offers a great boilerplate for you to begin your draft.

    Part Two focuses on the actual writing of the thriller,the nuts and bolts -- the building blocks so to speak. The three C's - Clarity, Conflict & Characters are delved into in depth. They are the primary elements of the thriller genre. Great focus on creating a thriller logline, with examples from current films as well as outlining and why it's a vital requirement in creating not only a thriller but in all screenplays. Great dialogue regarding tone, your opening page, the first ten pages and set up. I mean...good, good stuff.

    Part Three - mainly focuses on the selling of your thriller screenplay...basically giving you a play by play to get your baby out there into the market or in front of eyeballs.

    I love how Ms. Hay sprinkles tidbits from working writers and industry execs throughout the book -- including Twitter handles for many -- giving you no excuse to give these people a follow if you have an active account.

    Applause Ms. Hay -- thank you...thank you...thank you....

    You have no idea how much this book assisted me, got me over the hump of writers fear that we all go through and really gave me great exercises to play with.

    I literally rewrote my logline with your book in my hand as I stood in line for movie screenings :)

    I can't wait for the release of your Drama book!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Travis Seppala
    3.0 out of 5 stars this would be a great one to start with
    Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2016
    Format: Paperback
    If you haven't read many or any screenwriting books, this would be a great one to start with. It goes over many topics about the screenwriting process. If you've already read a ton of screenwriting books, it doesn't give much new information... but what it does include will make you take a good hard look at your thriller script to see "is it really thrilling? What sub-genre is it? How can I pump this up to it's full potential as a thriller?" ... The writing of the book flows well and is easy to understand. There are certain parts where it becomes quite clear the writer is based in the UK, but most of what she writes applies to the genre no matter where you are based. In truth, I wish it had more information about finding the market for your thriller... but sadly the "selling" portion is a little light and generic. Not many new avenues are mentioned or discussed. A little too much time was spent on the production side, rather than finding a producer in the first place.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Collette
    2.0 out of 5 stars I don't like giving bad reviews but I found the tone off-putting ...
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2017
    I don't like giving bad reviews but I found the tone off-putting and that it offered nothing new/ useful about writing thriller films. Also a confusion between whether a film is a thriller or has thriller elements.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • D. Trasler
    5.0 out of 5 stars The voice of experience
    Reviewed in Canada on June 1, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Lucy has experience on all fronts here: She's a writer, a producer and a script consultant. She doesn't talk in vague terms, she doesn't use graphs or charts, she talks about movies. She explains things clearly and with passion. Reading this book won't just help you write your thriller screenplay, it'll make you WANT to write your thriller screenplay.
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  • NomadicWriter
    5.0 out of 5 stars Clear and accessible book on the nuts and bolts of writing thrillers. Great read for anyone interested in writing screenplays.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 24, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I should point out from the outset that I am not someone who's easily impressed when it comes to books in general but in particular with those who purport to be the font of all knowledge where screenwriting is concerned, hence it's rare for me to feel compelled enough to want to write about one, so this should give you some indication already about why I'm here commenting on this book.

    There are many books out there for the would-be screenwriter by so-called screenwriting gurus who profess to give you an insight into the processes of becoming a screenwriter, but often leave the reader even more confused and mystified than ever about just how it's supposed to work or how the industry looks upon those who are trying to break in. That isn't what someone with an keen eye and a true passion for screenwriting needs to read or hear. They need clarity and a no-nonsense approach on how to tackle the task of writing a thriller and some great tips on what the do's and don't's are from someone who's had experience of working with screenwriters and whose primary motive is to help you become not only a better writer but one who can see their work potentially go into production. You'll find that's the case here when you read this book. The author, Lucy Hay, clears away many of the myths about what a thriller is and isn't supposed to be, including all its sub-genres, before going on to take the reader step by step into learning about the various pitfalls that many writers fall into when they're writing for the genre as well as how you can avoid those and what the essential elements are that will help your story come to life both on the page as well as potentially on screen. She draws upon examples from many movies to help explain why something does or doesn't work and where it may not have worked so successfully how it can be improved upon and how you can avoid making those same mistakes in your own writing. You feel as though you are having a one-to-one masterclass with the author as it seems she is speaking directly to you. This is all to the good.

    I should add here, this is not merely a great read for those wanting to write a thriller but for anyone with any serious interest in screenwriting, because there are many areas comprehensively covered that are necessary for any writer to understand and adopt when they're staring at that blank page or who don't know where to begin or even those with more experience who want to brush up on their skills. What works here can be translated to any genre of writing.

    I would have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone, and indeed have previously done so. Please add this title to your reading list. You won't be sorry that I did.
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  • D. Moon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Advice on a Difficult Genre
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Thrillers are one of the best genres for new writers to work in. They’re relatively cheap to make, can attract good audiences if the concept is strong enough, and well-written thriller roles can attract name actors. Unfortunately, they’re also one of the hardest genres to write. They require a strong mastery of plot, but unless they have well-realised characters and original twists as well, they can fade into the thousands of other generic thrillers in your Netflix queue.

    So what can we learn from Lucy V Hay to improve our chances as thriller writers?

    The book starts with a definition of thrillers – an interesting one, actually, utilizing the “fight or flight” reflex as a primary reference. Hay then looks at the various sub-categories of the thriller, and common issues in spec thriller screenplays.

    Where the book gets really interesting is in the characterization section. Hay addresses the overwhelmingly white, male, heterosexual nature of the thriller to date, pointing out that the white heterosexual male hero is often every bit as stereotyped as the female or gay characters. She points out that many thrillers only feature only one female character, as if being “the girl” was sufficient characterization for her, and as if having more than one female was somehow unnecessary. Then she takes an interesting look at atypical thriller characters, and how avoiding character clichés can strengthen your story.

    The book then takes a look at writing the thriller screenplay, applying the usual structures and techniques in a specific thriller context. There’s good stuff here, especially if you’re not experienced at constructing and writing screenplays.

    Then there’s a section on getting the screenplay made – pitching, the workings of the industry, and a useful section on budget (it’s surprisingly hard for an inexperienced writer to tell what will be expensive and what won’t!) There’s also a useful section of writing resources and resources looking at the thriller.

    Writing & Selling Thriller Screenplays is an excellent reference for anyone starting to write and thinking of beginning with a thriller. It’s also a good quick catch-up for anyone wanting to check up on the basics before their next screenplay – and the section on characterisation applies across pretty much every genre. So if thrillers are a subject of interest to you, take a look!
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  • Vered
    5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST on anyone who is serious about their writing
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 25, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I had the first version of this book which helped me a lot when I started my journey in the art of scriptwriting.

    However, this version is even more valuable as it also shows the changes the whole movie industry has gone through in the last 10 years.

    If you’re serious about your writing and wish to get ahead you need to educate yourself on these major changes and this book is the best one for it
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  • Helen K
    3.0 out of 5 stars Ok
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2022
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    The typeset is too small for me. The quality of the paper is not good. There's some good information in the book. But too much analysis of old films for me as I haven't seen many of the films that are constantly referred to, I found this annoying.
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