TV Writing On Demand (2^nd Ed.) What's Now + What's Next.

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 to 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 I.P., 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.

1. The Slow Burn, Season-Long Mystery vs. The Durability of the Case-of-the-Week Procedural, 2. Blurring the Lines: Redefining Genre and Tone in the Dramedy, 3. Trust Me: The Confidence Games of Grifters, Swindlers, Imposters, Charlatans, Gas-lighters, and Snitches, 4. Dystopias, Alternate Realities, and Magic Realism, 5. Coming of Age in a New Age: From Frozen and Conformist to Fluid and Authentic, 6. Reimagining the Workplace Sitcom as a Hybrid Genre, 7. The New American Frontier, 8. Episodic Story Structures, circa 2024, 9. Story Tentacles and the Role of Time, 10. Caught Between Two Wrongs: Moral Dilemmas, Triangulation, Limitation, and the Double Bind, 11. The Art of Dialogue, 12. Empathetic Character Development: Digging Deeper, 13. Make the Body Count Count: Reframing the Narrative on Gun Violence in Episodic Television, 14. Trips, Traps, Tropes and Rookie Mistakes To Avoid

Neil Landau is an award-winning screenwriter, creative producer, author, and professor of Screenwriting in the MFA in Film, Television & 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; Melrose Place, The Magnificent Seven, Doogie Howser, M.D., The Secret World of Alex Mack, Twice in a Lifetime, MTV's Undressed.