simile | Tom Lazarus

There’s a ‘Rhinoceros in heat’ in your screenplay!

Posted by Tom on May 30, 2013 · Leave a Comment

One of the writers I’m working with wrote: INT. CHEESY BAR – NIGHT Soaked by Pancho’s drink, Red runs at him like a rhinoceros in heat. Really? The problem with that or “runs like a gazelle” or “waddles like a platypus” or any simile or metaphor, that it places in the reader’s mind an image […]

Categories: Lazarus Rising · Tags: metaphor, rhinocerous in heat, seduce the reader, simile

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"If you’re sitting down to write your first screenplay, you need to read this book. If you’ve written a couple of screenplays and are still trying to break in, you need to read this book. Hell, if you’ve been earning your living writing screenplays for the past six years, you should read this book. Informative, provocative, illustrative — all the qualities of the great teacher Tom Lazarus are right here. Indispensable for anyone who writes or is thinking about writing movies."
Scott Frank, screenwriter: Get Shorty, Out of Sight, Minority Report,

“Smart, funny, and helpful to the max, this cleverly organized book of tips for the professional and would-be professional writer by veteran writer/producer Tom Lazarus demonstrates why his screenwriting classes at UCLA Extension fill with wait lists. A stellar read and recommended for every screenwriter's bookshelf.”
Bonnie MacBird, screenwriter: Tron, Emmy-winning producer, and former Universal Studios feature film story exec,

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John Badham, Director,

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Eric Edson, screenwriter, professor, author of The Story Solution,

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Matthew Terry, filmmaker/screenwriter/teacher – reviewer,

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Stan Williams, Author of The Moral Premise,

“Really good advice delivered in a really practical way. Shows you bad writing and improved writing, and the light bulb goes on. Seeing the mistakes other writers make gives insights into the writing process that you don't often find. It promotes letting go of that critical voice that says ‘I’m no good at this’ or ‘who does he think he is?’ so you can take advantage of good feedback. This is a book I will keep on my bookshelf!
Kim Hudson, Speaker, Author, Script Consultant – Archetypal Structure,

“Provides a realistic, no-nonsense glimpse at what writers can expect when an agent, producer, or studio exec is considering your script for representation or purchase. Author, instructor, and screenwriter Tom Lazarus gives us a handy, but practical A to Z approach on some of the most common storytelling roadblocks that can spell the difference from a "pass" to a "sale" in a competitive marketplace!
Kathie Fong Yoneda, consultant, workshop leader, author of The Script-Selling Game: A Hollywood Insider's Look At Getting Your Script Sold and Produced,

"Tom Lazarus serves up non-nonsense story development notes in a clear, authoritative voice. He's the kind of ally smart writers want as they confront the bare page."?
David McKenna, Author of Memo from the Story Department,

"The Last Word takes screenwriting books to the next level. Think of this as going to grad school. Tom Lazarus has walked the halls of Hollywood in both film and television and knows how things work."
D.B. Gilles, author The Screenwriter Within, 2nd Edition,

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There’s a ‘Rhinoceros in heat’ in your screenplay!

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