Successful Television Writing

by William Rabkin and Lee Goldberg

Book Overview

Do you dream of a job as a successful television writer on a hit show?

Lee Goldberg and William Rabkin give you practical but essential advice to help make your dreams a reality. They teach you how to discover the "Franchise" or structure of a television show in order to write a successful and eye catching spec script. The four-act structure is covered, along with the elements that go into telling a good story. After you've...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471431680
• ISBN13: 9780471431688
• Release Date: June 2003
• Publisher: Wiley (TP)
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Revealing Knowledge

This book was purported to be an overall guide on how to write for the TV industry. What to expect on the inside and how to get there. It was exactly that from the writer's perspective. He wrote a spec script with a couple of friends it was chosen from the stack and he was a TV writer from then on. He explains who to curtsy to, who to fear, and who to shrug off and when. Hints at how to make friends and how to get the job done right all make for a well-rounded, excellently plotted and planned book.

Great read

I've read many a television writing book, and this is one of the best of them. Very interesting and educational. I definitely learned a lot! Highly Recommended!

If you are planning on ever working in television, read this book.

I read this book to help prepare me for what I would never know going into a writers room , or pitching to the showrunners. This helped me get to that point and to know how and what to expect when I get there, which I believe is soon. Thanks Lee.

More involved than you realize

This book on writing for television is simply a must read if you plan on breaking into the business. But even if you never plan to write a single script, it's simply a very interesting and insightful glimpse into the world of television. The authors convey useful information with wit and style. Writing for TV isn't as simple as you might think. I was surprised and intrigued by all the intricacies of the industry.

Want to write for television? Buy this!

I love this book. I got it on a Saturday afternoon and read it within twenty-four hours. (And that includes all the time I spent reading and rereading parts of it, to my family and friends). It has officially joined Martell's "The Secrets of Action Screenwriting" and Trottier's "The Screenwriter's Bible" as one of my three "go-to" reference books. This one will get worn out.And I don't even watch TV, anymore. It's only 135 pages. (Well, 209 pages when you count the extra 74 pages of beat sheets, writer's outlines and treatments of TV programs, which were bought and in most cases produced Real examples). It's concise, but packed with useful information.This isn't a basic "how-to" book. It assumes you're already a writer (and that you know the correct structure for television). It's daunting, what you'll be up against, (and the authors don't sugarcoat it), but if you want to write for television--study this book, apply the lessons it teaches, and it will give you a huge head start.Within twenty pages, I had a better understanding of how a television series works then I would have ever figured out on my own. If you haven't heard or don't understand the term *franchise* as it applies to TV, you'd better buy this book, if you really want to write for television. It seems obvious to me, now, but that's only because the authors made it obvious.And most of the lessons apply to all screenwriting, or writing in general, or just doing business. It's like I was a given a cheat-sheet by reading this book and, I guess, that's exactly what it is. These guys don't only say it--they've lived it. From both sides. Writing and pitching--and taking pitches and hiring writers. They back it all up with real-life examples and anecdotes. Even if you aren't a writer, this book is fun to read.I really enjoyed the examples of how to and how *not* to pitch in this book. The authors gave me a whole new attitude and more confidence. (At least in theory--I'd probably still go into brain-lock ... when it came right down to the pitch. Or worse yet--become a Mr. Blabbermouth). But at least I have a firmer grasp of what I need to do and how I should present myself and my writing, when (or if) I pitch. This one is well worth it.