This book takes a deep dive into writing for today’s audiences, against the backdrop of a constantly evolving TV ecosystem.

The aim of this 2nd edition is to go beyond an analysis of what makes exceptionally compelling episodic TV series work. It is a master course in the creation of entertainment that does more than meet the standards of modern audiences – it challenges their expectations.

The book will help readers discover how to satisfy the satiated viewer, by analyzing the new hybrid genres, trends, and how to make smart initial decisions for a strong, sustainable story. It will also cover the development of iconic characters that foster empathy and entice viewers to bond with characters and generate the sensation that their problems are mutual.

Finally, the book will also take a deep dive into creating a lasting, meaningful career in the TV marketplace, by overcoming trips, traps and tropes, the pros and cons of IP, the use of pitch documents, pitch decks, and show “bibles” as proof-of-concept in the marketplace.

This will be an essential resource for student and professional writers and is supplemented with a companion website offering additional content, including script excerpts, pitch document/deck/show bible samples, scene analysis and templates, plus useful writing exercises to break new ground and to mine new territory.

Author Biography

Neil Landau is an award-winning screenwriter, creative producer, author, and professor of screenwriting in the MFA in Film, Television, and Digital Media Program at the University of Georgia. His screen credits include the teen comedy Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead (1991) and the 2024 remake; the Goya Award-winning animated feature, The Adventures of Tadeo Jones and its two sequels; and the TV series Melrose Place, The Magnificent Seven, Doogie Howser, M.D., The Secret World of Alex Mack, Twice in a Lifetime, MTV’s Undressed.

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