In this book, Linda Seger shows how to create strong, multidimensional characters in fiction, covering everything from research to character block. Interviews with today's top writers complete this essential volume.

Adaptations have long been a mainstay of Hollywood and the television networks. Indeed, most Academy Award- and Emmy Award-winning films have been adaptations of novels, plays, or true-life stories. Linda Seger, author of two acclaimed books on scriptwriting, now offers a comprehensive handbook for screenwriters, producers, and directors who want to successfully transform fictional or factual material into film. Seger tells how to analyze source material to understand why some of it resists adaptation. She then gives practical methods for translating story, characters, themes, and style into film. A final section details essential information on how to adapt material and how to protect oneself legally

The Collaborative Art of Filmmaking: From Script to Screen explores what goes into the making of Hollywood's greatest motion pictures. Join veteran script consultant Linda Seger as she examines contemporary and classic screenplays on their perilous journey from script to screen. This fully revised and updated edition includes interviews with over 80 well-known artists in their fields including writers, producers, directors, actors, editors, composers, and production designers. Their discussions about the art and craft of filmmaking - including how and why they make their decisions - provides filmmaking and screenwriting students and professionals with the ultimate guide to creating the best possible "blueprint" for a film and to also fully understand the artistic and technical decisions being made by all those involved in the process.

The Collaborative Art of Filmmaking: From Script to Screen explores what goes into the making of Hollywood's greatest motion pictures. Join veteran script consultant Linda Seger as she examines contemporary and classic screenplays on their perilous journey from script to screen. This fully revised and updated edition includes interviews with over 80 well-known artists in their fields including writers, producers, directors, actors, editors, composers, and production designers. Their discussions about the art and craft of filmmaking - including how and why they make their decisions - provides filmmaking and screenwriting students and professionals with the ultimate guide to creating the best possible "blueprint" for a film and to also fully understand the artistic and technical decisions being made by all those involved in the process.

Making a good script great is more than just a matter of putting a good idea on paper. It requires the working and reworking of that idea. This book takes you through the whole screenwriting process-from initial concept through final rewrite-providing specific methods that will help you craft tighter, stronger, and more saleable scripts. While retaining the invaluable insights that placed its first two editions among the all-time most popular screenwriting books, this expanded, revised, and updated third edition adds rich and important new material on dialogue, cinematic images, and point of view, as well as an interview with screenwriter Paul Haggis. If you are writing your first script, this book will help develop your skills for telling a compelling and dramatic story. If you are a veteran screenwriter, it will help you articulate the skills you know intuitively. And if you are currently stuck on a rewrite, this book will help you analyse and solve your script's problems and get it back on track.

Did you ever wish you'd written down the words of wisdom from your mother? Do you sometimes hear those words in your head when you're facing a problem, working on a relationship, or making an important decision? Many of us who had great mothers have lived by their wisdom for all of our lives. Their little sayings and sound bites echo in our ears and guide us in our choices, our demeanor, and when we're trying to figure out the meaning of the world! Many of the quotations in this book come from the author's mother, Agnes Katherine Graebner Seger, who had wisdom and an intrinsic ability to assess and analyze a situation. She was positive, supportive, and encouraging. The author then collected sayings from other magnificent mothers. All the sayings are original to each of these mothers. Each topic in the book is illustrated by Colorado artist, Linda Crawford.

In 2001, Peter and Linda were ready to start a vacation when Peter herniated two discs in his spine and was flat on his back for three months. The pain of the injury was crippling and overwhelming. Quieting down seemed more nurturing than acting up. Peter's years spent as a Quaker learning to listen and ponder in silent worship came to his aid. He prayed and, at one point, distinctly felt the remarkable hand of God. He had read the Bible before, but now turned to Psalms and the Gospels with which he felt the healing reverberations. While Peter was healing, he began a ritual of prayer. First he’d recite The Lord’s Prayer and the Prayer of Jabez. Then, he said his own prayers, expressing his needs and wants. In order to remember all the requests, Peter began creating the Alphabet Prayer, such as: "Compassionate God, Calm Me and Comfort Me and Forgiving Father, Feed Me with Faith and Favor." He eventually mentioned The Alphabet Prayer to his wife, an author. Linda replied, “Honey, I think you have a book!” Linda suggested they add to it further by drawing on the many names and attributes of God. They then asked a calligrapher to illustrate it. Linda and Peter are both Christians, but they tested the book with Christians, Jews, and Muslims, all of whom found it resonated emotionally and intellectually with them. Even an agnostic was surprised by how much he liked it, and found it clever and wise!

Almost everyone faces some physical or mental or emotional challenges. Spiritual people pray about it, hope, try to stay positive, sometimes argue with God, and remind God of the many promises there are in Scripture about healing. But sometimes, healing doesn't come, or doesn't come as desired. Although many turn their back on God when God doesn't heal, others stay in the struggle with God, expand their theology, and learn more about the nature of God and the nature of suffering. Dr. Linda Seger, one of the world authorities on screenwriting, has struggled with dystonia (a movement disorder) for some years. Then, as she was improving, she was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in fall, 2015. Both disorders have caused physical, emotional, and spiritual frustrations and the rehabilitation for each has been counter to the other, causing her to make difficult choices, and to be challenged to persevere. In this book, she reflects on the many theological issues and spiritual issues that we encounter when we're ill - and how we re-form our relationship with God when healing doesn't come as desired.

If Jesus were alive today, would he: feed the poor - or give tax breaks to the super rich? Comfort the old and infirm - or cut Social Security? Build bridges that unite - or build walls that divide? Make peace - or make war? In the revised edition of this groundbreaking book, noted author and theologian Linda Seger, Th.D., explores what it means to be a Christian and a Democrat - and shows how the two are not mutually exclusive but rather inclusive. She reveals the close relationship between Democratic policy and Jesus' teachings and the many ways in which the values Jesus espouses in the Bible correspond to the values Democrats call their own. The idea that America's real Christians vote strictly Republican crumbles when one studies the platforms of both parties. Jesus Rode a Donkey reminds the reader that Jesus and the prophets had a radical, progressive message that calls individuals and nations to feed the hungry, help the poor, heal the sick, care for the earth, free the oppressed, and love our enemies. The book won the Silver Medal Christian Living Illumination Book Award given for exemplary Christian writing.

For decades, many of us have concentrated on personal success at the price of our spirituality. Now, Dr. Linda Seger, a successful Hollywood insider who has dealt with the competition and worldly spirit of the film and television industry, reveals how you can attain your goals and desires without compromising your relationship with God. Dr. Seger tackles these important issues: how do you identify your calling? Handle risk? Cope with praise or blame? Identify and confront evil in our work? Deal with competition? Take the Leap of Faith? Meet and overcome the Seven Deadly Sins? The book is based on her own experiences while trying to build her career as she became a world-renowned script consultant. She also interviewed over 30 people from all six continents and from the arts, the sciences, and business and reveals and identifies success and spirituality issues that have rarely been discussed before. The book won the "Enduring Light/ Inspirational" Illumination Book Award for Exemplary Christian writing.