 A brilliant yet troubled screenwriter named Charlie Kaufman is hired to transform a book based on a true story about orchids into a script. Provided with an ample amount of time to complete a draft, the screenwriter struggles to produce so much as a sentence. Asserting the book contains no story and is awkwardly structured, the screenwriter determines that writing an adaptation true to the author s work is impossible. Consequently, he reluctantly deviates from his ingeniously unconventional writing style and stubbornly adapts to traditional Hollywood writing techniques. After gaining an understanding of old, yet valuable story telling principles from the highly regarded screenplay instructor Robert McKee, at last he begins to break new ground. Freshly inspired, he consults his twin brother and roommate Donald who recently sold a prototypical Hollywood script for a bundle. His brother helps by offering cliché ideas and by discovering new knowledge about the author of the book that ultimately leads to his own death. With the adaptation nearly complete, the screenwriter meets with the studio producer who hired him and confesses his love for her. After the meeting, Kaufman is seen pulling out of a parking garage voicing over the fact that him pulling out of the garage will be the last scene in the film.