Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Learn to craft smart, original scripts and teleplays for a variety of television formats, including comedy, animation, drama, movies of the week, pilots, reality television, TV news magazine, and children's programming. Using the tools the author provides: checklists, sample outlines and treatments for each format, sample script pages, war stories from writers and executives, and a sample query letter to introduce finished script pages to agents, you'll avoid common pitfalls and come across as an industry veteran. Benefit from the experience of pros: 45 luminaries contribute their experience and wisdom, including Jay Leno, Mike Wallace, Norman Lear, Paul Haggis, writers for "Grey's Anaatomy," "Desperate Housewives," and more! With twenty-five years of industry experience as a television writer and producer, Martie Cook teaches you not only how to hone your craft but also how to break into the industry. Guiding you through the often confusing television hierarchy, Write to TV offers practical advice on important issues such as how to get an agent, how to write a query letter, how to network, even how to "do lunch". By learning how to craft smart scripts for a variety of television formats and how to get your foot in the door and keep it there, this invaluable book will help you get that big idea out of your head, onto the page, and then to the top of the heap.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Acknowledgments (p. xix)
• Introduction (p. xxi)
• Part I How Hollywood Works (p. 1)
• Chapter 1 An Overview of the Tv Industry (p. 3)
• It's Called Show Business for a Reason (p. 4)
• Technology is Changing the Face of Television (p. 6)
• Product Integration (p. 6)
• The Role of Production Companies, Studios, and Networks (p. 7)
• The Difference Between Network and Syndication (p. 7)
• What are Television Sweeps? (p. 9)
• Staff Writing vs. Freelance Writing (p. 9)
• Do You Have To Live In L.A.? (p. 10)
• Writing For Existing Shows is Your First Step (p. 10)
• What is a Spec Script? (p. 11)
• Choosing a Spec Script That Will Work For You (p. 11)
• Studying the Show Before You Write (p. 13)
• Purchasing a Sample Script of the Show You Want to Write (p. 14)
• Why Two (Sigh!) Specs Are Better Than One (p. 15)
• Writing is Rewriting (p. 16)
• The Reason Your Spec Probably Won't Sell (p. 16)
• Declaring Your Major (and Minor) (p. 17)
• Chapter 2 Getting Your Scripts Read (p. 18)
• Plastering the Town With Your Work (p. 18)
• The Initial Meeting (p. 19)
• The Invitation to Pitch (p. 20)
• What Happens If They Buy Your Story? (p. 21)
• Will You Write the Teleplay? (p. 22)
• Odds Are They Won't Steal Your Ideas (p. 23)
• How Much Will You Make and When Will You Get Paid? (p. 24)
• Where Does it All Lead? (p. 24)
• Part II Comedy (p. 25)
• Chapter 3 Situational Comedies (p. 27)
• What it Takes to Write Comedy (p. 27)
• Check List For Funny (p. 29)
• How Sitcom Writing Staffs Work (p. 29)
• The Make-up of a Sitcom Staff (p. 29)
• Multi-Camera vs. Single-Camera Shows (p. 31)
• A Week in the Life of a Staff Sitcom Writer (p. 32)
• How a Freelancer Fits In (p. 36)
• Chapter 4 Developing Your Sitcom Story (p. 37)
• Getting Started (p. 37)
• The Importance of a Good Story (p. 37)
• How to Create an Original Story (p. 38)
• Making Original Stories Work For Existing Shows (p. 38)
• Finding An Original Spin (p. 40)
• Study Up (p. 42)
• Beating Writer's Block (p. 42)
• Stories to Stay Away From (p. 43)
• Getting the Poop (p. 44)
• Physical Comedy (p. 45)
• Sight Gags (p. 45)
• "A" Stories, "B" Stories, and the Occasional "C" Story and "D" Story (p. 45)
• Getting Feedback (p. 46)
• Checklist For Story (p. 46)
• Chapter 5 Sitcom Structure (p. 48)
• The Importance of Story Structure (p. 48)
• Traditional Two-Act Structure vs. Modern Three-Act Structure (p. 48)
• Creating Twists (p. 49)
• No-Fail Sitcom Structure (p. 50)
• Example of Structure (p. 52)
• Teasers (p. 53)
• Tags (p. 53)
• Checklist For Story Structure (p. 54)
• Chapter 6 Outlining Your Sitcom Story (p. 55)
• Why You Must Break Your Story Down Act-By-Act, Scene-By-Scene (p. 55)
• What a Good Outline Should Accomplish (p. 56)
• Good Writing is Key (p. 56)
• Format Matters (p. 57)
• How Long Should an Outline Be? (p. 57)
• Sample Outline for Sitcom (p. 58)
• A Few More Rules (p. 60)
• How Multi-cam shows Differ in Format (p. 61)
• Reading Your Work, Out Loud (p. 62)
• Getting Feedback on Your Outline (p. 62)
• A Word About Covers (p. 63)
• Checklist For Story Outline (p. 65)
• Chapter 7 Scripting Your Sitcom (p. 66)
• Formatting Your Sitcom Script (p. 66)
• The Difference Between a First Draft and a Shooting Script (p. 66)
• Formatting the Single-Cam Script (p. 68)
• Sample Format For Multi-Cam Scripts (p. 72)
• Scene Writing From Beginning to End (p. 75)
• How Many Jokes Should You Have on Each Page? (p. 76)
• Setting Up Jokes and Paying Them Off (p. 76)
• Why Smart Jokes Will Get a Bigger Laugh (p. 76)
• Where Do Good Jokes Come From? (p. 77)
• Incorporating Universal Humor (p. 78)
• Should You Avoid Jokes That Could Be Considered "Offensive"? (p. 78)
• Beware of Jokes That Center Around Current Topics (p. 79)
• In Comedy, Three's a Charm (p. 79)
• Runners (p. 79)
• Alliteration (p. 80)
• Comedy That Goes Against Character (p. 80)
• Putting the Audience in a Superior Position (p. 80)
• Don't Forget to Button (p. 80)
• The Dreaded Punch-up (p. 81)
• Watch Where You Step (p. 81)
• Chapter 8 Other Kinds of Tv Comedy (p. 82)
• Writing For Animation (p. 82)
• Writing For Late Night (p. 84)
• Sketch Writing (p. 86)
• Part III Prime Time Drama (p. 91)
• Chapter 9 Plot-Driven Dramas (p. 93)
• Why Law & Order Thrives and Survives (p. 94)
• Ripped From the Headlines (p. 94)
• The Importance of Creating Authentic Worlds (p. 95)
• Getting the Facts: How to Research Cops, Lawyers, Doctors, and Others (p. 96)
• Colleges and Universities (p. 97)
• The WGA (p. 97)
• Creating Powerful Protagonists and Antagonists (p. 98)
• Building Conflict and Jeopardy (p. 98)
• One-Hour Dramatic Structure (p. 99)
• Scripts For Cable Vary Slightly (p. 100)
• How To Structure Your Plot-Driven Drama (p. 100)
• How Index Cards Can Help (And Why Studios Order So Many) (p. 100)
• Checklist For Plot-Driven Drama (p. 101)
• Chapter 10 Character-Driven Drama (p. 102)
• All About People (p. 102)
• Everything In Your Life Isn't Fit For the Screen (p. 102)
• How to Dramatize Personal Experience (p. 103)
• How Structure For Character-Driven Dramas Differs From Plot-Driven Dramas (p. 106)
• Why Colored Index Cards Are Key (p. 107)
• Continuing Storylines From Week to Week (p. 107)
• Checklist For Character-Driven Drama (p. 108)
• The Dirt on Soaps (p. 109)
• Chapter 11 Formatting for Prime Time Drama (p. 110)
• Sample Outline For Prime Time Drama (p. 110)
• Scripting Your Prime-Time Drama (p. 112)
• Part IV Creating Original Series (p. 117)
• Chapter 12 The Television Pilot (p. 119)
• Reasons Why You Shouldn't Write a Pilot (p. 119)
• One Reason Why You Should Write a Pilot (p. 120)
• How Pilot Season Works (p. 121)
• Network Schedule: Friend or Foe (p. 122)
• Why Some Cable Networks Operate Under a Different Time Clock (p. 123)
• Chapter 13 Finding an Original Premise (p. 125)
• Networks Long For Longevity (p. 125)
• Knowing the Market (p. 125)
• Tapping Into Future Trends (p. 126)
• Adding Your Own Point of View (p. 128)
• A Tall Order: Introducing Characters and Premise All in One Episode (p. 129)
• Premise Pilots vs. Non-Premise Pilots (p. 129)
• Big Love (p. 130)
• Know What's Out There (p. 131)
• Sample Treatment for a Pilot (p. 131)
• Kyle's Turn (p. 132)
• Creating a 13-Week Episode Guide (p. 133)
• First Pages (p. 134)
• Riding Coattails (p. 140)
• Checklist for Pilots (p. 141)
• Part V Made-For-TV Movies (p. 143)
• Chapter 14 Made-for-TV Movies (p. 145)
• Hallmark Is the Benchmark (p. 145)
• Target Audience for MOWs (Think Pink) (p. 146)
• Most Common Types of MOW Stories and Why They Work (p. 147)
• Stories to Stay Far Away From (p. 149)
• Breaking into the MOW Business (p. 149)
• Adapting True Stories (p. 149)
• Protagonist vs. Antagonist (p. 150)
• Bringing Novels to the Screen: How to Get the Rights (p. 151)
• Should You Write a Mini-Series? (p. 154)
• Don't Make Your Two-Hour a Four-Hour (p. 154)
• Structuring Your MOW (p. 155)
• Stories that Can Double as Feature Films and MOWs (p. 156)
• Classic Three-Act Structure (p. 157)
• Part VI Characters (p. 161)
• Chapter 15 Creating Compelling Characters (p. 163)
• Character Broken into Threes (p. 163)
• What is Backstory? (p. 164)
• Character Bios (p. 164)
• Why It's Important For The Audience to Like At Least Some of Your Characters (p. 165)
• Some of the Finest Characters Are Not Human (p. 166)
• Creating Characters With Opposing Viewpoints (p. 167)
• Minor Characters Matter (p. 168)
• How To Write Quirky Characters (And Why Audiences Love Them) (p. 169)
• Twenty Questions To Ask Yourself About Each Character (p. 170)
• Part VII Dialogue (p. 171)
• Chapter 16 Writing Dialogue That Dances on the Page (p. 173)
• First and Foremost: Dialogue Comes From Character (p. 173)
• Keeping Dialogue Where it Belongs (p. 173)
• The Rhythm of Dialogue: How To Avoid Long, Rambling Speeches (p. 174)
• The Use of Slang in Dialogue (p. 174)
• Right-On Dialogue: Wrong!! (p. 174)
• Watch Out for Names (p. 175)
• Why Using Dialogue To Reveal BackStory Can Be Deadly (p. 175)
• Stay Off the Phone!! (p. 175)
• What To Do When All of Your Characters Sound Alike (p. 176)
• Part VIII How to Pitch your Comedy, Drama, or Movie of the Week (p. 177)
• Chapter 17 How to Get a Pitch Meeting (p. 179)
• Who Will Be in the Room? (p. 179)
• Why it's Essential to be Early (p. 180)
• Dress for Success (p. 180)
• How Many Ideas Should You Pitch? (p. 181)
• The Order of Your Stories (p. 182)
• How Much Detail Should You Give? (p. 182)
• Practicing Your Pitch (p. 183)
• Controlling the Room (p. 183)
• A Couple of No-nos (p. 184)
• The Use of Index Cards and Note Pads (p. 184)
• Reading the Room: Why No Usually Means No (p. 185)
• Going With the Flow When the Story Starts to Change (p. 185)
• Be Prepared for Questions (p. 186)
• Example of a Pitch (p. 187)
• What To Do if They Don't Buy Anything (p. 187)
• The Pros and Cons of Putting Your Pitch on Paper (p. 188)
• Respecting the Big Foot (p. 188)
• Practice Makes Perfect (p. 189)
• Part IX TV News Magazine Shows (p. 191)
• Chapter 18 Writing for TV Magazine Shows (p. 193)
• "There's Always Going to be News" (p. 193)
• It Takes a Special Breed (p. 194)
• Is it News or Entertainment? (p. 195)
• Why So Many TV Magazine Shows? (p. 195)
• The Power Structure of a TV Magazine Show (p. 195)
• Writing vs. Producing (p. 196)
• The Power of Enterprising Your Own Stories (p. 197)
• Chapter 19 A Mock Assignment (p. 198)
• Getting the Right Angle (p. 198)
• Producer Means Boss (p. 198)
• You Can Up the Emotion by Using Real People (p. 198)
• Why You Need at Least One Expert (p. 199)
• How to Find Experts (p. 199)
• A Story on J.K.Rowling, Please: Where Do You Begin? (p. 200)
• Chapter 20 The Shoot (p. 202)
• Before You Go (p. 202)
• Working With Talent vs. Working Solo (p. 202)
• Taking Care of Your Crew (p. 203)
• Once You Arrive at the Location (p. 204)
• What to Do While the Crew Sets Up (p. 204)
• When You Do the Interview (p. 205)
• When Talent Does the Interview (p. 206)
• One Camera or Two? (p. 207)
• Getting B-Roll is Key (p. 208)
• The Importance of Natural Sound (p. 208)
• B-Roll for the J.K. Rowling Story (p. 209)
• Do You Need A Stand-Up? (p. 210)
• Chapter 21 Writing the Script (p. 211)
• Sorting Through Your Tapes (p. 211)
• What Is Timecode, and Why It Will Save You (p. 211)
• What Is a Sound Bite? (p. 212)
• Picking The Right Sound Bites To Tell Your Story (p. 212)
• What Is Track? (p. 213)
• Making Sure Video and Sound Lock Up (p. 213)
• When You Don't have the Video (p. 214)
• How to Write Your Script (p. 214)
• If You Care to Give it a Try (p. 217)
• Checklist For TV News Script (p. 220)
• Chapter 22 In the Edit Bay and Beyond (p. 221)
• Preparing For Your Edit (p. 221)
• Working With an Editor (p. 221)
• Bringing Your Story in on Time (p. 222)
• Getting Story Approval (p. 223)
• Writing Powerful Leads and Tags (p. 223)
• Ethics in Television News (p. 224)
• Other Things You May be Asked to Do (p. 226)
• Part X Reality Television (p. 229)
• Chapter 23 Writing for Reality Television (p. 231)
• Reality Television is Not New (p. 231)
• Why Reality Television is Here To Stay (p. 232)
• Why Americans Have Become Reality-Obsessed (p. 233)
• Documentary vs. Game Show (p. 233)
• Reality is a Producer's Game (p. 234)
• Real Compelling Characters (p. 235)
• How to Write a Treatment for a Reality TV Show (p. 236)
• The Ethics of Reality Television (p. 236)
• Part XI Children's Television (p. 237)
• Chapter 24 Writing for Munchkins and Rugrats (p. 239)
• What Good Children's Programming Should Accomplish (p. 240)
• Brand Loyalty (p. 240)
• Dual Audiences (p. 242)
• Content is Key (p. 242)
• Selling Your Children's Show (p. 243)
• The One-Minute-Thirty-Second Grind (p. 244)
• Part XII The Business Side of Television (p. 249)
• Chapter 25 How to Get an Agent (p. 251)
• Why You Need an Agent (p. 251)
• What Agents Actually Do (p. 252)
• How Much Does an Agent Cost? (p. 252)
• Don't Pay People to Read Your Work (p. 253)
• Referrals Are the Way to Go (p. 253)
• Why Writers Can Be Protective About Their Agents (p. 253)
• Choosing an Agent Who's Right for You (p. 254)
• Los Angeles or Bar Harbor? Does It Matter Where Your Agent is? (p. 254)
• Agents Who Take Unsolicited Scripts (p. 255)
• Do You Need a Manager? (p. 256)
• Entertainment Attorneys (p. 256)
• Querying Agents (p. 256)
• Sample Query Letters: Good and Bad (p. 257)
• Making Sure You Are Ready (p. 259)
• Patience is a Virtue (p. 259)
• Should You Put Your Script on Web sites? (p. 260)
• Checklist For Getting An Agent (p. 260)
• Chapter 26 The Writers Guild of America (p. 261)
• What Is the Writers Guild Of America? (p. 261)
• How Do You Become a Member? (p. 261)
• Key Things The WGA Can Do For You (p. 262)
• How Residuals Work (p. 262)
• What is Arbitration? (p. 263)
• In the Event of a Writers' Strike (p. 263)
• How to Protect Your Work (p. 264)
• Miscellaneous Guild Benefits (p. 264)
• Chapter 27 Writing Teams (p. 265)
• Should You Get a Writing Partner? (p. 265)
• The Pros of Partnerships (p. 265)
• Being Responsible For Someone Else's Career (p. 266)
• The Cons of Partnerships (p. 266)
• How To Choose A Writing Partner (p. 267)
• Part XIII How to Get Your Foot in the Door (p. 269)
• Chapter 28 How to Get Work as a Television Writer (p. 271)
• Why You Need a Plan (And a Back-up Plan) (p. 271)
• The Importance of Internships (p. 272)
• Contact Everyone You Know and Tell Them What You Want (p. 272)
• Entry Level Jobs That Can Lead to Your Writing Break (p. 273)
• Ways To Uncover Entry-Level Jobs (p. 274)
• Resumes and Cover Letters (p. 275)
• How to Write Your Resume (p. 276)
• Sample Resume (p. 277)
• How to Write a Killer Cover Letter (p. 278)
• Five Paragraphs to a Good Cover Letter (p. 280)
• Sample Cover Letter (p. 281)
• Generating Informational Interviews (p. 282)
• When a Company Says They're Not Hiring (Baloney!) (p. 282)
• The Power of Overnighting Your Resume (Even If You Live One Block Away) (p. 283)
• Brushing Up On Phone Etiquette (p. 283)
• Why It's Important to Get the Assistant's Name (p. 283)
• How and When to Use Voice Mail (p. 284)
• How and When to Use E-Mail (p. 285)
• Chapter 29 Getting the Interview (p. 287)
• Preparing For the Interview (p. 287)
• Controlling the Interview (p. 288)
• Confidence is Key (p. 288)
• The Power of Snail Mail Thank-You Notes (p. 289)
• Placing the Dreaded Follow-up Call (p. 289)
• Turning a "No" Into a "Yes" (p. 290)
• Chapter 30 Congratulations, You've Got the Job...Now What? (p. 291)
• Some Tasks May Not Make You Smile (p. 291)
• Even the Most Mundane and Menial Tasks Can Lead to a Break (p. 292)
• Finding a Mentor (p. 293)
• Taking Responsibility For Your Goof-ups (p. 294)
• Remember Your Goal: Get a Writing Schedule and Stick To It (p. 295)
• How Long Should You Stay in an Entry-Level Job? (p. 295)
• Planning the Next Step (p. 296)
• Chapter 31 The Power of Networking (p. 298)
• Keeping in Touch is Job Number Three (p. 298)
• Order Your Own Personal Note Cards (You'll Need Them) (p. 298)
• Stock Up On Business Cards (p. 299)
• Creating Your Own Little Black Book (p. 299)
• The Importance of Sending Holiday Greetings (p. 299)
• How to Do Lunch (p. 300)
• Who Do You Invite? (p. 300)
• Taking the Lead (p. 301)
• When and How To Ask For What You Really Want (p. 301)
• Who Pays? (p. 301)
• Should You Bring Your Spec Scripts? (p. 302)
• Chapter 32 Other Things That Can Help You Succeed (p. 303)
• Get Yourself Out There as Quickly as Possible (p. 303)
• Writing Buddies (p. 303)
• How to Turn Up Contacts When You Think You Don't Have Any (p. 304)
• Attend Seminars and Conferences (p. 305)
• Enter Your Work In Contests (p. 305)
• Using Technology to Get Work Seen (p. 305)
• Use Your Talent to Help Others (p. 306)
• Learn to be a Good Critic (p. 306)
• Off to See the Wizard (Or Five Months to My Dream Job) (p. 306)
• Not Giving up on What You Want (p. 308)
• A Word To Women (p. 308)
• Take Care of Your Mind and Your Body (p. 309)
• Oh, the Places You'll Go! The Warmth and Wisdom of Dr. Seuss (p. 309)
• Some Final Thoughts (p. 310)
• Some Leftover Pearls (p. 311)
• Index (p. 313)