Dead Zone
“I took Professor Douglas’ class as a graduate student at USC — it was her guidance that led me into a career in television. This book is a brilliant distillation of that semester with the added bonus that I can refer back to the juicy bits when I’m in a bind. I keep my copy at work so I can review her practical advice on how to structure a script, what makes a character compelling, and how to make a scene sing. And her chapter on how to behave on a writing staff is invaluable — commit it to memory!”
Janet Lin, writer/producer: Bones
“The definitive work on dramatic TV writing just got more definitive. Pamela Douglas’ brilliant 3rd Edition is a must-have for anyone seriously considering writing television. This is not a how-to book, but rather a manifesto for great television writing.”
Jack Epps, Jr., Chair of the Writing Division, School of Cinematic Arts, University of Southern California; screenwriter: Top Gun, Dick Tracy, The Secret of My Success
“From fan of television to the aspiring writer to the established professional, Pamela Douglas’ Writing the TV Drama Series (3rd edition) deserves to be read, studied, and embraced. Easily digestible with end of the chapter summaries, teleplay excerpts, and analysis and interviews with some of the most talented and important writers in the business, her book is not only an excellent read, but more importantly, inspiring. If television is considered to be the writer’s medium, Writing the TV Drama Series is the best resource that I’ve ever come across.”
Stefan Blitz, editor-in-chief, ForcesOfGeek.com
“The book is wise and wonderful, better than any book on writing TV series that I’ve read. I’m depressed because I wish I had read it before I had written the last two series proposals. Chapters Two and Three are essential for anyone wanting to write a series. Highly recommended!”
Christopher Keane, author: Romancing the A List; writer/co-producer: The Huntress
“In all my years working as a writer and a teacher of screenwriting, Writing the TV Drama Series is the most comprehensive and user-friendly book that I have come across on how to construct a drama series from the idea stage through the finished pilot script. It’s focused, precise, and above all, entertaining. I plan on recommending it to anyone with a mind toward writing for the small screen.”
Maria Jackquemetton, writer/executive producer: Mad Men
“Fascinating, informative, and thoughtful. Pamela Douglas’ new edition of her book deconstructs the television drama in a way that makes it an accessible and invaluable tool for both beginners and professionals alike. I wish I’d had a book like this when I was starting out in the TV business!”
Nicole Yorkin, co-executive producer: The Killing, writer-producer: Flash-Forward, The Riches, Carnivale, Judging Amy
“As many are beginning to realize, we are living in the Golden Age of Television. Shows such as The Sopranos, The Wire, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad demonstrate that continuing storylines enable TV series to tell epic tales that follow the triumphs, pratfalls, heartbreaks, and false epiphanies of ensembles of characters over the course of years and even decades. It is the kind of storytelling that Tolstoy and Dickens explored and the best TV series today display the same texture, nuance, and eye for detail as those masters of the epic novel. Yet there are few books that help aspiring television writers gain a fundamental understanding of crafting a teleplay. This book by Pamela Douglas is one such volume. The author’s professional savvy comes through on every page. This is an excellent source for anyone interested in writing for the most dynamic art form of our time.”
David Weddle, writer/supervising producer for Battlestar Galactica, writer/co-executive producer for CSI and Falling Skies, author of “If They Move Kill ‘Em!” The Life and Times of Sam Peckinpah
“There are few people who so innately understand story as Pamela Douglas. Her explanation of the narrative process is concise and inspiring. However, this book is not simply a tutorial in structure and character. Douglas clearly details the political realities of collaborating with people throughout the television industry, providing essential lessons for anyone hoping to succeed in the business in any creative capacity.”
Bear McCreary, Emmy-nominated composer of Battlestar Galactica, The Walking Dead, Eureka, and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
WRITING THE TV DRAMA SERIES
HOW TO SUCCEED AS A PROFESSIONAL WRITER IN TV
3RD EDITION
MICHAEL WIESE PRODUCTIONS
Published by Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 379-8799, (818) 986-3408 (FAX)
Cover design by MWP
Interior design by William Morosi
Printed by McNaughton & Gunn
Manufactured in the United States of America
Copyright 2011 Pamela Douglas
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Douglas, Pamela
Writing the TV drama series / Pamela Douglas. -- 3rd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-61593-058-6
1. Television authorship. 2. Television series--Authorship. I. Title.
PN1992.7.D68 2011
808.2’25--dc22
2011017715
Printed on Recycled Stock
To Raya Yarbrough and John Spencer with love
TABLE OF CONTENTS
