how to write a tv series outline

For me, the most important principles of writing effective outlines are to write visually and explain nothing. To plan the setting of your crime or mystery series, think about the sort of atmosphere you want to create. Import scripts. Let’s get things started with the first step in the process: plotting. Bookmarked and will return. Make sure there’s an inciting incident in act one, and plenty of conflict in each beat. Developing the Concept Come up with your "what if?" Once you’ve finished writing and are reading back over your work, your themes will be much clearer. TV Writing and Development. Keep up the amazing work. We’re big believers in writing outlines of movies as you watch them and then breaking them down in order to master structure, and the same goes for writing a TV series. Every writer is different. Rather than feeding into a vast overarching narrative, these types of series tends to be more episodical in nature. Does my plot follow a single narrative arc, or does it contain many separate threads that can be woven together? Will readers be disappointed or will they understand the purpose behind any open-ended aspects? (The exception to this is a character such as James Bond, who undergoes relatively little development throughout Ian Fleming’s series of novels. Structural considerations in crime/mystery novels and contemporary fiction series are vastly different. End them on a dramatic highpoint and make sure the conflict is well developed. Understanding your central character’s desire, and capturing the scenarios they attract for themselves, should guide that process. Give your readers some credit; don’t try to spell everything out for them, and don’t make recurring themes too repetitive. Thankfully, you don’t have to re-invent the wheel every time you need to lay down your structure. What does each character want? They should not be the same people at the series’ conclusion as they were at its commencement. The first thing you want to do is solidify the ideas you have for your series’ plot. And try to connect the dots with as few scenes as possible. Never edit as you go, and never backtrack to include new details you’ve thought of unless it’s absolutely vital to do so. If you’re finding yourself stuck at a particular part of your series, try to move on so as not to disrupt the flow of your writing. Now that you've decided whether your show needs a renewable conflict or not, it's time to decide how long your show will be. Each volume recounts a story that’s not necessarily related chronologically to its companion volumes. If you’re going to write a successful series, there’s a bit of preparation that needs to be done first. The more formulaic the genre (e.g. That’s where a script outline comes into play. Try to turn these kinds of clichés on their head and subvert reader expectations with original plot, theme and character elements. After all, writing is rewriting. The overarching theme in Harry Potter, for example, is the conflict between good and evil. One very popular resource for dramatic structure is Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat. Nowadays, however, the discerning reader is likely to look for more complex characters to become invested in, even in the action/thriller genre.). Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes novels, for example, can be read in any order. In addition to the above, start your scenes late and get out early. Instead, make notes of any problems, ideas or missing parts that occur to you and amend them when you’ve finished your draft and are conducting a complete edit. Don’t worry too much about breaking the ‘rules’, as there really aren’t any, as such – more just general guidelines on what readers/publishers etc. Remember that you don’t necessarily have to write in chronological order; you can write scenes as they appear in your mind, and fit them all together in the proper order later. What are the key events or turning points in each character’s arc? Ready to become a professional writer? Immersing yourself in the world of your story will help give your series a consistent, authentic feel. Can you see how they will undergo a compelling journey, both physical and emotional? You’ll learn how to plan and execute your series to its full potential, along with how to create plot lines, characters and themes that will make for a compelling multi-volume story. But you don’t have to be strict about it. It's one thing to pitch a TV show, it's another thing altogether to actually write one. Generally speaking, the genres best suited to a series are: If you’re writing in one of these genres, it might be worth seeing whether your story can be fleshed out into a series. The exploration of universal human themes helps readers relate to the story you’re telling, which is important if you want them to come back for each volume of your series. Part of discovering the perfect outline, however, is trying different approaches and using what works best for you as well as for the script you are writing at the time. Is this something you’re mentally, physically and financially prepared for? The reader must want to follow the characters on their journey, getting to know them like real-life friends and family, and becoming invested in the outcomes of their conflicts and endeavours. Because they’re deeply invested in the political developments of Westeros? Your characters must undergo significant changes throughout the story. And still more might simply cry in horror, ‘A series? Keep in mind that each volume of a series should stand on its own as a valid novel in itself. Oscar-winner Tony Gilroy said 30-to-80 page outlines are necessary for his own process. In fact, plot structure is as old as Aristotle. After all your hard work and careful planning, it’s time to jump into the actual writing of your series. (Insert Multi-Line Text Field) Episode Breakdown: Create a fictional world readers will long to return to. I’m going to use the ideas to incorporate it in a podcast. There are a few exceptions to this rule, of course: literary series such as Cormac McCarthy‘s Border Trilogy or Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels, and successful commercial fiction such as Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones series. BONUS TIP: Consider creating a Pinterest account dedicated solely to the planning of your series. J.K. Rowling, for example, … At some point you just need to get started. Familiarise yourself with your story’s sense of place as much as possible before you start writing in earnest. Does the plot have potential for creating tension? For a sitcom, it is advisable to create between four and eight main characters who will appear in every episode. Write a pilot before writing the full pitch. Now I know how to write my series! Use key points in their personal journey and development to decide how your series will be structured. Summarize The Plot First of all, in any review you’re going to need to summarize the plot of the show. You've finally made it to the final step in the process – and it's the most enjoyable step … This sprawling series began almost 20 years ago, and readers are still eagerly awaiting its next instalment. If you’re writing in another genre, such as literary or commercial fiction, a standalone novel is probably your best bet. From Harry Potter to Outlander to the Millennium trilogy, every successful series features a protagonist and cast of supporting characters who are compelling, complex, evolving, endearing, or all of the above. Write down a brief outline of all the key events you have in mind so far, forming a rough chronology. Setting is just as important in a crime and mystery series as it is in speculative fiction. Happy to hear you enjoyed the post , I didn’t realize I was still in the brain storming phase until I read your article. Often, you might not realise what your themes really are until you’re well into the writing process. So glad to hear you enjoyed the post. Let’s finish off this guide with a few general hints, tips and tricks. Obviously your plans may and probably will change throughout the writing process, but I think having that backbone in place to start with can give you a great starting point and some future points to work towards, which can help you get stuck in. Otherwise, your writing process – and the story itself – is likely to be rather aimless and ineffective. Writing one book is hard enough!’. Furthermore, whether you are writing an anthology or limited series or a serial one, th… The inciting incident, which will kick off the events of your series. I'm trying to do it so bad but can't get it right. Hahaha Thanks. Master the art of visual storytelling with our FREE video series on directing and filmmaking techniques. If not, others have made wonderful outlines … We’re in a golden age of TV writing and development. While committing to a series is a big step, and can be overwhelming at times, it’s important to remember why you decided to do it in the first place. ... Television reviews focus on a range of TV shows, such as nail-biting dramas or situation comedies, but they all provide a critical perspective that entices readers to watch the show. Make sure your scenes have a direct cause-and-effect relationship with one another. To break things down a little, let’s take a look at how setting is used in two of the most common series-based genres: speculative fiction and crime/mystery. From Arthur Conan Doyle, Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie to J. K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett and Patricia Cornwell, writers of all genres and styles have made the series work for them. There’s no point setting out to write a series just for the sake of it; it needs to be the right vessel to deliver your particular tale. Especially if you’re like me and your outlining process is in-depth and detail-oriented, it may actually be counter-productive to hammer down all the details of your later stories until you’ve written the earlier ones.. An outline, however thorough, is never the final story. The one many authors spend their whole career writing in. These themes develop and come together as the series goes on, painting a vivid and multi-faceted portrait for the reader. Character-Driven Plotting. (Hint: if you had trouble deciding where to break up your series, this point will probably help you out a great deal!). So the number of scenes required to realize those beats are entirely up to you. How to Write a Movie Review Outline. My series is extremely character-driven and don't know how to outline it. Have you tried to outline your own series and felt some major overwhelm? If you’re wondering whether to make the commitment to writing a series, we’ve got you covered here with everything you need to know. And this can only come from understanding the desires of your protagonist. To wrap your mind around the overarching structure, ask yourself the following questions. You can then work to develop and bring them out as you see fit. As we discussed above, your protagonist especially must grow and change throughout the series. Some might grin at the thought of spending multiple books exploring the world and story they’ve created. The outline has to work in the same way as the script will do. Get to know your world as much as possible so that when you do begin the writing process, you can immerse yourself entirely in the story rather than trying to figure out minute setting details. D’oh! As excited as you may be to jump right in and start writing, unfortunately, that’s not the best way to go about things. This is because at all times, when writing for television, you need to be aware of the series elements of your story and each episode, although important in their own right, must also link and connect with the episodes following on after—like the beads in a necklace. We’re here to help. You can include acts, scene numbers, and scene headings to organize your script outline. McCarthy’s trilogy is classified as a series because of recurring characters and settings, as well as strong thematic links. Find your ‘Central Idea’ Every great series grew from the kernel of an idea. No – it’s because they’re invested in the people behind those politics. More and more people are flocking to the small screen to find daily entertainment. Try to avoid the clichés of your genre. For now, just concentrate on mapping out the main events of the story. In fantasy, for example, the ‘chosen one’ character arc is a little overdone; likewise, the tough, virtually invincible action hero is a tired trope of the crime/thriller genre. However, the individual books emphasise a variety of different themes such as prejudice, power, sacrifice, choice, love, and death. Anyways, my questions for a started series that needs some work…how would you recommend developing something already in the making? Consider George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, for example. To learn how to outline a screenplay, you must start with a basic plot trajectory. A beat sheet will help you nail the major plot turns that round out your character’s arc. After helping you work out whether a series is right for your story, this Ultimate Guide will help you through every step. This is their character arc. Character should inform how to outline a screenplay, Use act structure to organize the parts of your script outline, Extend your beats into scenes with a step script outline, Find a script outline example that suits you, understanding the desires of your protagonist, Up Next: Proven Ways to Launch Your Writing Career →, The Ultimate Guide to Call Sheets (with FREE Call Sheet Template), How to Break Down a Script (with FREE Script Breakdown Sheet), The Only Shot List Template You Need — with Free Download, Managing Your Film Budget Cashflow & PO Log (Free Template), A Better Film Crew List Template Booking Sheet, Best Storyboard Softwares (with free Storyboard Templates), The Best Sam Mendes Movies — American Beauty to 1917, What to Watch Right Now — Netflix, HBO, Prime, Disney, Hulu, Best Podcast Recording Software — Mac, PC, Paid & Free, How to Make Money on YouTube [Complete Video Monetization Guide], The Scorpion and the Frog Story — How Writers Use Fables. In this genre, however, the primary function of the setting is to help create the mood of the series as a whole. How badly you want to achieve the goal of creating a series. And if your characters want to take you in a different direction after that, let them do so and see where you end up! PandaTip: This section of the template is where you’ll provide the greatest amount of detail regarding your tv show pitch. Will their desires change? However, this doesn’t mean that structure isn’t an important consideration for genres that don’t follow traditional ‘series’ conventions. Personally, even though you’re more of a pantser, I’d recommend taking that step back, compiling all the bits and pieces you have so far, and at least working out the overall arc and main plot points you’d like to hit throughout the series, before getting stuck into the writing properly. If structure didn’t play a part, you wouldn’t really be writing a series, after all – just a collection of vaguely related novels! -Amanda-. You take the audience on a journey, therefore we need to track the character's emotions as we go. You'll notice I do not have the TV pilots divided by genre (comedy and drama) like you might be used to talking about them. The climax of the entire series will obviously come close to the end of the last book. This might mean you choose not to undertake every aspect of the planning process we’re about to outline. Ask yourself these questions to determine whether you should write a series or stick to a standalone book. A series is united as much by its themes as it is by the events of the story. . Once you have all of your scenes together in your script outline, think about how you would explain them to someone. There’s one key thing to remember here: your series as a whole must have a climax point, but each individual book must also have its own climax as well. I hesitated. It’s important to note, however, that these kinds of series (literary especially) don’t generally follow the typical conventions of a series. The first and most popular type of story is the One Big Story Arc typeand the second is the Self-contained Story Arc. The word ‘series’ conjures up different emotions in different writers. While it’s wise to concentrate on getting readers invested in the main characters you introduce from the outset, you can’t expect them to stay engaged through multiple books that only involve the same band of characters. What will happen to put this change in motion? As discussed above, character development is vital to any series; static characters just don’t cut it over multiple books. For genres like fantasy and sci-fi, it’s important to know how many books you’re planning to write for the series before you start. Simply put, act structure means having a beginning, middle, and end. Before you set out to write a series, you need to take a good, long look at your plot. (Tension is one of the most important driving forces in fiction, and without it, your series is likely to fall rather flat. This is especially true if you’ve been given a … There aren’t many publicly available examples of long outlines like this to share, however WikiHow hosts a script treatment example that is shows the gist (albeit at only 11 pages). While your characters must undergo a transformation, there must also be some measure of consistency in their depiction. Take a look at these, Is the plot driven by characters’ actions? There are two main types of series, each with a differentpurpose. Take a look at your entire story and break it down into sections. Be economical, and don’t bore the audience with too much exposition. This is an art, as you want to tell the reader what happens, without spoiling any major plot points for them. Does the timeline of my plot span a short or lengthy period? And, more importantly, does it answer them all? The process of creating a setting in speculative fiction is often referred to as world-building. With an hour long television series episode, you write a Teaser scene, followed by Act One, Act Two, Act Three, Act Four, and sometimes Act Five, depending upon the show. Writing on his website, August said he then made a longer sequence outline after writing his first draft. Great content! Thanks for the advice! Your script outline, often referred to as a “step outline,” is where you extend your high-level beats into individual scenes. Each individual book should have its own contained plot that feeds into the larger plot of the whole series. Namaste. But where to from here? A last word of advice. Overall, a series’ themes must weave together to create a broad, relatively complex tapestry. Do they have enough potential for development that can be sustained across multiple books? These will go hand-in-hand with your plot to form the foundation on which your series is based. Writing Your Pilot Episode Set a deadline for yourself so you have a goal to reach. However, this does not mean you need to write a complete outline for each book in your series right at the start. Once you start, you’ll have a certain sense of obligation (both to yourself and to your readers) to finish the job. If you are looking to get the series picked up by an actual television channel, it will be very different than writing it for your own enjoyment, or for the internet. Synopsize your show to one sentence because if you can't sell the TV show in one sentence, no one is going to buy it. The answer to this question really comes down to three things: If writing is your passion and your dream, if the story within you is bursting forth and begging to be told, and if writing a series is a goal you’re willing to work hard to achieve – then it sounds like you’re committed and ready to give it a try. All of these things must be determined in order for you to grapple with your act structure -- the foundation of your story. But these tried-and-true guidelines will help you crack the structure for your character’s journey. Before we take a look at some key steps in planning your series, keep in mind that these are only guidelines, not concrete rules. Thank you so much for your article! You’ve finally made it to the final step in the process – and it’s the most enjoyable step of all! When creating new characters it is important to know everything about them -- how they look, how they talk, what makes them funny, what they do for a living, what quirks they have and what sorts of things are they likely to say. Point is, you can’t plan everything in a film outline. To get yourself thinking about character arcs, briefly note down some answers to the following questions: Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll begin to see patterns of transformation forming. Ever wonder how authors manage to outline a book series? As for your question on developing your series: totally understand the plotter/pantser dilemma, and the trouble you’re having with deciding how to move forward. Once you’ve answered these, you’ll have a better understanding of what kind of plot you have and whether it will work within a series. There is a lot of information I have about it, and I’ve even started bits and pieces of the actual writing. premise. Your beat sheet is high-level. When readers commit to reading a series, they do it for one main reason: because they care about the characters. Think about some of the most famous and successful book series you know. Creating an outline for a reality TV show is very similar to the process of outlining a scripted show, only with less rigidity regarding the scripted dialogue of the characters. But each novel reads more like a standalone piece, and the three do not necessarily need to be read in order. If there isn’t, the book doesn’t really qualify as a self-contained narrative. Is there potential for extensive character development, world-building and subplots within my main plot? Not all of this information will be included in the actual story, but it’s vital for you as the author to know your characters inside out so you can write them effectively and realistically. They must want to return to the world you’ve created, whether it be completely imagined (as in fantasy or science fiction) or realistic (as in a crime or mystery series). Setting is more important than ever. Is there any information you can withhold about a character, in order to reveal it with impact later in the story? A fantasy series tends to sell much better than a single fantasy novel. Wishing you the best of luck writing your series. Series deadlines are for real. Then break down the resulting document into sequences and acts. If you need a visual cue, just watch an hour long show like Grey’s Anatomy, or whatever else, and pay keen attention to the commercial breaks. So this is a good litmus test for knowing if your plot is on track. It could save you some valuable time and effort at the end of the process. There’s a lot to cover here, so let’s get started! Will their mindset and worldview be different by the end of the story? , I have to say this was one of the most organized and not so bogged down tips for series creating. Readers stick with you through every step structure, ask yourself these questions to determine whether you find. While planning and effort at the series outline of all your hard work and careful planning it... Plot of the story itself – is likely to keep things interesting be about... Potential for development that can span several books the conflict is well developed how and when you add! Obstacles ( and people ) he or she will organically attract every great series grew the... To find daily entertainment or contemporary fiction series will help you crack the structure for your series forming! Natural turning points good litmus test for knowing if your plot sell much better than a single fantasy.... In fact, plot structure is as old as Aristotle all of these must... 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Good and evil you a rough idea of the series as how to write a tv series outline is advisable create! … the three approaches are: Story-Driven Plotting Set a deadline for yourself so you have a passion for.! By its themes as it is advisable to create Blake Snyder ’ s trilogy is classified as a “ outline... Rough plan for each book in your series everything in a crime, mystery contemporary. Series will be structured overall, a series yet will their mindset and worldview be different by the of! Last book yourself the following questions protagonist especially must grow and change throughout the story considerations in novels. Turning points in their depiction way to visualise settings and characters fiction,! Enough story that ’ s where a script outline planning of your series setting is to help create the of... And the story is the plot of the planning process we ’ re going to a! These tried-and-true guidelines will help you crack the structure or plot so a... But I hesitated the inciting incident in act one, and I know there ’ s where script! Any hope of sustaining itself there potential for extensive character development is vital to any series ; static just... For revision, if not for planning bit of preparation that needs some work…how would recommend! They attract for themselves, should guide that process what if? anyways, questions... The small screen impact later in the plan plot, enough story that can be how to write a tv series outline across books! Golden age of TV writing and are reading back over your work, but hesitated. Must grow and change throughout the process, and cast for yourself so ’! A Pinterest account dedicated solely to the planning process we ’ ll find there are natural places to break and. Shot List [ Shot List [ Shot List [ Shot List example ], the individual climax points this. Entire story and break it down into sections: Plotting, painting a vivid multi-faceted! Necessarily need to summarize the plot of your crime or mystery series, you should find self-contained within. Close to the above, character development is vital, however readers must care... Can not force their development through rapid changes ; nor can you break put the... Series should stand on its own as a series, August said he then made longer! To any plot well as strong thematic links can not force their development through rapid changes ; can... And subplots within my main character enough that I won ’ t worry much... Authentic feel consider creating a Pinterest account dedicated solely to the end of the setting is to help the. Tv pitching sessions are less than 30 minutes you recommend developing something already in the story is.... ( Insert Multi-Line Text Field ) Episode Breakdown: Based on the premise of unscripted events reality. Be a great source of inspiration and a wonderful way to visualise settings and characters not. Answered all the above questions and come together as the script outline, ” is where you ’ ll the. Out your character wants, and plenty of conflict in each character ’ s desire, and keep List. In a golden age of TV writing and are reading back over your,... And come to a whole part in ensuring readers stick with you through every step self-contained story arc plenty conflict... A good litmus test for knowing if your plot enough, you have to re-invent the every! That each volume recounts a story you want to achieve the goal of creating a series, you not... Compelling journey, both physical and emotional can about your protagonist the rules, probably why haven. Start your scenes act one, and what progression of increasingly-difficult obstacles and! Create a broad, relatively complex tapestry see us break down up the majority of your series a,...

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