A cogent and scholarly analysis, Beyond the Monoplot argues that since the '80s and '90s the linear, chronological, one-hero Hollywood story model has come to dominate both theory and practice of screenwriting, resulting in a serious drop in quality, originality and experimentation. Provocative and thought-provoking, Chris Neilan vigorously interrogates the received wisdom and sets out a range of structural alternatives to the Hollywood template. A striking new voice in the study of screenwriting.

Linda Aronson, Writer, Author of The 21st Century Screenplay, Australia

Chris Neilan has provided a meticulously researched and highly readable wrecking ball aimed directly at the flawed, creativity-deadening screenwriting models that have dominated screenwriting discourse and practice for more than forty years. He connects a catastrophic decline in the quality of American films starting in 1980 to changes in the corporate structure of the studios, reinforced by the concurrent popularity of screenwriting manuals that have served more to enrich their authors than to provide genuine insight into the craft. Having demolished these popular theories, Professor Neilan goes on to explore alternative models in detailed and insightful analyses, providing mind-opening inspiration for creatives yearning to be free of the stultifying encumbrances of fashionable convention.

Paul Joseph Gulino, Professor, Chapman University, USA