Writing the TV Drama Series 3rd Edition: How to Succeed as a Professional Writer in TV

“Pam Douglas takes on the complicated business of episodic television and makes great, grand sense of it. For years she’s been a star of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, imparting these secrets to her students. Now these secrets have been written down. A textbook, a how-to, a resource, an inspiration, this book has knowledge, has wisdom, is a joy to read.”

Howard A. Rodman, Artistic Director, Sundance Screenwriting Labs

“Solid career advice and industry insights. Provides crucial foundational guidance for the aspiring television drama writer.”

David Trueman, reviewer,
Script Magazine

“
Writing the TV Drama Series
sheds much-needed light onto the befuddled, and oft overlooked subject of television programming development — invaluable to teachers, students, or anyone else interested in the world of television.”

Brian Johns, Eastman Kodak Scholarship Program Director

“Written by a television insider, this well-written text takes one, step by step, through the maze on why and how television programs make it from pitch to script to pilot to series. Pam Douglas’ style is fun to read; she packs in information and the definite how-to’s of making it as a series television writer.”

Jule Selbo has been a series writer/producer on
Life Goes On, Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Melrose Place, Undressed, Maya and Miguel
and many others

“Remarkably comprehensive and up-to-date,
Writing the TV Drama Series
is a candid, enthusiastic introduction to the craft and culture of dramatic television.”

Jeff Melvoin, Executive Producer,
Alias
,
Northern Exposure

“Pamela Douglas provides valuable insights and insider tips in this essential guide to writing the television drama. Her step-by-step instruction to jumpstarting and surviving a career in the television business is packed with current industry information and practical advice from renowned industry pros.
Chapter Five
, which highlights working on staff, is dead-on. It took me years to learn what Pam has so artfully and honestly laid out. A must-read for any aspiring television writer.”

Toni Graphia, Writer-Producer,
Roswell
,
Carnivale
,
Battlestar Galactica

“This book covers the waterfront in writing for dramatic television.”

Peter Lefcourt, Writer-Producer,
Beggars & Choosers
,
Karen Sisco
,
Cagney & Lacey

“A knowledgeable insight to writing TV drama. A book that is a delight to read.”

Amy Taylor, Cedar Grove Entertainment

“Right now is the golden age of TV drama, and this book is far and away the best resource I know of for any writer wishing to work in this tremendously challenging and rewarding field.”

Daniel Petrie, Jr., President, Writers Guild of America, West;
The Big Easy
,
Beverly Hills Cop

“Pamela Douglas demystifies the entire process of writing one of the most intimidating and challenging formats — the television drama series. This comprehensive book takes the reader on a step-by-step journey from the birth of a series concept to what happens long after the final scene has been shot. Suddenly, the impossible seems possible, thanks to
Writing the TV Drama Series.”

Marie Jones, book reviewer,
absolutewrite.com

“The breadth and depth of practical advice on real-world writing should enlighten and inspire any aspiring TV drama writer. It should enlighten because it is clear, free of jargon, and explains the business and the design of television dramas. It should inspire because it cuts to the chase — a writer gets an outline of the drama life cycle and knows what is required from pitch to pilot to longevity of a series. The interviews with successful writers makes this book valuable all by themselves, but there’s so much more.”

Diane Carson, Ph.D., Editorial Vice President, University Film & Video Association

“
Writing the TV Drama Series
is an invaluable resource for anyone aspiring to be a television writer. Having worked with beginning writers for years, the information in Pamela’s book is exactly what they need to know: how to write excellent scripts and how to become savvy enough about the business to break in and get their first job writing for television. I recommend it to every new writer I work with.”

Carole Kirschner, Head of the CBS Diversity Institute Writers Mentoring Program; Program Director, WGA Showrunner Training Program

“Pamela Douglas has written ‘the’ book on writing hour episodic drama. She breaks the process down into simple-to-understand steps, while carefully weaving the inseparable elements of craft and business. This is a must read for any screenwriter who wants to get in — and stay in — the television series loop. In the rapidly changing landscape of hour episodic television, Pamela Douglas is on top of the trends and thinking one step ahead of them. Essentially, she has created the gold standard for any book on this topic.”

Catherine Clinch, Contributing Editor,
Creative Screenwriting Magazine;
Publisher,
MomsMediaWorld.com

“
Writing the TV Drama Series
is both practical and enjoyable; I repeatedly recommend this guide to series writing to aspiring television writers. Douglas keeps it easy to follow, and every page is loaded with valuable information that will help writers navigate those challenging first years.”

Erika Kennair, Entertainment Diversity Representative, NBC Entertainment Strategy Dept.

“Through her experiences as a writer on well-known series, Pamela Douglas teaches you to write from the heart while being conscious of all of the details that accompany working in the fast-paced world of television: writing within budget, analyzing and breaking down scenes, working with a staff of writers, the drafting process from outline to shooting script, and breaking into the business. As a production assistant working on a serial program,
Writing the TV Drama Series
helped me to understand how a concept is developed into a full story that airs over months. I know it will help you too.”

Joshua Friedman, author:
Getting It Done

“Think of Pamela Douglas as a Sorcerer and that you’re lucky enough to be her apprentice. The 3rd Edition of
Writing The TV Drama Series
delivers on many levels.”

D.B. Gilles, author:
The Screenwriter Within
and
You’re Funny! Turn Your Sense of Humor Into a Lucrative New Career

“
Writing the TV Drama Series
remains the best of book of its kind, a must-have not only for aspiring (or working) drama writers, but for producers, execs, agents, and anyone who needs to understand — or think critically about — the inner workings of TV dramas.”

Chad Gervich, writer/producer:
After Lately
,
Cupcake Wars
,
Wipeout
; author:
Small Screen, Big Picture: A Writer’s Guide to the TV Business

“For the past decade or so, TV drama has been the most interesting and successful form of storytelling in our culture. And I can’t imagine a better one-volume guide to writing TV drama than Pamela Douglas’ book.”

Michael Cassutt, writer/producer:
Max Headroom
,
Beverly Hills 90201
,
The 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

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