Emmy Award-winning writer Joseph Daugherty states "I was a writer before I knew what a writer was" in his informative and encouraging book "A Screenwriter's Companion: Instruction, Opinion, Encouragement," a literary cousin to such notable books on writing as Stephen King's highly acclaimed "On Writing."

For more than 30 years, Dougherty has been successful in a business in which it is notoriously difficult to even get a single break. Dougherty has been a successful playwright, television writer, director, producer, and more. He's won Emmy Awards for his work on television's "thirtysomething" and more recently "Pretty Little Liars."

With "A Screenwriter's Companion," Dougherty offers readers a glimpse inside his personal and professional journey and offers not only concrete and valuable tips for the aspiring writer but also turns himself into an encouraging job coach, mentor, and guide. Dougherty never pretends that becoming a screenwriter is easy, but he constantly encourages us to go for it anyway.

"A Screenwriter's Companion" will appeal to storytellers who are seeking both tangible tips and the courage to actually start writing. It's a book that's likely impactful for both beginning writers and those who are working in some capacity of a professional writing career.

If there's one thing I found most refreshing about "A Screenwriter's Companion" it's Dougherty love for his job that comes through vividly throughout the book. As he writes about the writing process and offers tips about moving toward professional success, Dougherty feels as if he's remembering and reliving his own early days as a writer. That passion comes through and serves as a valuable guide for this relatively short yet fully packed and engaging journey. The title itself is actually remarkably accurate - Dougherty offers clear and valuable instruction, lots of well-informed opinions, and encouragement that feels honest and sincere.

In an early chapter of "A Screenwriter's Companion," Dougherty gives great emphasis to how one presents writing to those who are going to read it. He states, for example, that he knows within three pages if he's going to stay with a story and if it's a story that will ultimately succeed. While this may sound like a bit of bragging, the truth is it's quite realistic for a professional screenwriter and, as he later acknowledges, it's probably a bit generous given you can often tell within the first page.

While I greatly appreciated "A Screenwriter's Companion," I must note that this is a book I'll likely be revisiting once it's actually released by Fayetteville Mafia Press on September 13th. Like many who review books, I received what is known as an "Advanced Reader's Copy." This is, essentially, a copy of the book in advance of actual publication. For those who read voraciously, this likely sounds like a heavenly experience.

Sometimes, it is. However, there's always a huge disclaimer with what is known as ARC's or Galleys. They are typically not quite ready for publication. They may still have typos. They may still have space held for photos to be added. They may have weird margins. Unless you are an experienced reader or reviewer, it can be a challenging way to read a book. You have to really "get" writing in order to surrender yourself to an ARC.

All this to say that while I've read hundreds of ARCs and consider myself incredibly good at immersing myself in them, the ARC for "A Screenwriter's Companion" was, without a doubt, my most challenging ARC to date. Did this hinder my reading of the book? I need to read the final book to find out, though unquestionably it fell into Dougherty's own words of not actually representing the author in a positive manner. I considered doing my first ever "Did Not Finish," but I was genuinely interested in the material and I appreciated Dougherty's words even if the ARC itself kept me from ever getting into his rhythm. I have a feeling there's a deeper appreciation to be had from reading "A Screenwriter's Companion." So, while my 3-star review is fairly modest I offer my own disclaimer that the final publication will likely have addressed many of the challenges I experienced that hindered my own enjoyment of "A Screenwriter's Companion."

For now, despite my concerns "A Screenwriter's Companion" is a well-informed, educational, and encouraging book on writing from Emmy Award winner Joseph Dougherty and a great first step for anyone who's ever aspired to commit themselves to writing.