How to Write for Television

TV Writing the Right Way!

In this guide for every student of the small screen and every scriptwriter dreaming of breaking into the business, writer-producer Madeline DiMaggio hands you the tools of the trade. With dozens of examples from today's hit shows, as well as perennial classics, DiMaggio walks readers through the scriptwriting process, from learning how to watch TV like a writer to developing your script, pitching it, and eventually sealing the deal. DiMaggio answers the questions on every aspiring television writer's mind, with chapters on:

The tools of scriptwriting

Hooks that sell

Creating the pilot

Developing the episode, step by step

How to create riveting characters

Writing long form and cable movies

Adaptations and collaborations

Marketing your script

DiMaggio combines her own experience with advice to writers from others in the trade, including agents, producers, animators, and more. This readable, reliable book has been a trusted reference for nearly two decades and is now revised to include the most up-to-date information from today's television climate, from writing for cable, reality, and TV-movie formats to the ever-evolving face of the sitcom. A must-read for anyone aiming to write for TV, How to Write for Television will continue to help budding writers reach their small-screen goals and will prepare them for working in the rapidly changing world of TV.