Crafty TV Writing: Thinking Inside the Box

I just finished my compulsive three-day read of "Crafty TV Writing" after following Epstein's blog for quite some time. The same things I like about his blog are totally on display here: straightforward, no-nonsense, right-to-the-point advice about every aspect of TV writing you can think of. He's got multiple audiences with this book: I imagine only a sliver of his readers are in a position to actually pitch pilots to important people, but there's still a ton to be gleaned about the techniques of episodic storytelling that are of use in a wide range of contexts - I picked up the book because I've been writing and developing episodic internet shows, for instance, and although I may never get to enjoy sitting in a professional writers' room, the insight into collaborative storytelling is quite valuable. Ultimately what I appreciate most about the book is that, like the best television, it's not pretentious; it acknowledges that television at its best is a wonderful art form, but it's also a craft, and frankly, it's also a day job for the people who are doing it right. Shed some romanticism and learn the nuts and bolts - that's what I appreciated most about this book.

It's a good read for anyone interested in writing teleplays. A bit dated, but the information is excellent and well written in simple, declarative language the mind retains. He details the how-to brilliantly, and for the 'hungry' aspiring writer, it reads like a novel.Further, he doesn't pull any punches when it comes to the difficulty of becoming a staff writer. He emphasizes the quality of writing is always foremost but that a professional attitude toward improving the script and the production is highly prized. In production, cost dominates. He explains how a spec script must be appropriate to the series template; and, an original spec script must be high concept, cost conscious and well written.Included are appendixes on resources, contests, software, payments, samples, script pages, a glossary, notes and an index. In total, an insider's professional experience in the business.

I've read many books on writing for film and television, and this is one of the best. What I like most about Alex Epstein's style is that it is immensely, if not compulsively, readable. His advice is practical and straightforward, and he approaches the topics in the book with a much appreciated playful sense of humor. There are books that are educational but pretentious and are a chore to go through, this book manages to be instructive and entertaining at the same time; it's a real gem. Highly recommended!

I got this from the library and I knew it something a had to own for continual reference. I have read other books on writing for various genres, and this is the most practical writing for TV book that I have ever read. For me, I felt like I was getting a real insider's perspective on how to write for TV. Not just some information from a teacher who has never actually been to Hollywood.

I think this is one of the more all encompassing books I've read about television writing recently. I really liked that there was a separate part for comedy and a nice section at the end for tips for being inside a writer's room.Very helpful. I recommend it.

Bought this book for hubby dearest who decided he couldn't live without it. I Got myself crazy with anticipation. Now that it arrived it's all I hoped for and more (hubby wouldn't even look at it by now). Seems like a very accurate description of TV writing. I learned a great deal just by trying to notice things in different shows after reading about them here.Despite its very serious and hard-core approach it's a fun book to read.

I bought this book because I am a writer considering screenwriting. this book walked me through everything, took me on a journey, I couldn't put it down. I finished it in 5 days.The only (very small) con is it is published in 2004 so the references to shows are a little outdated. but it is definitely still worth buying because the principles stay the same.I highly recommend this book if you are thinking about being a screenwriter. ​

Well, as someone who has bought a lot of books on writing that promise the moon only to deliver some vague advice, I can't believe I got hoodwinked again.This book is fine, but the the promises it makes about how well you're going to be able to write afterward are much better written than the actual content of the book. For example, the author talks about beat sheets and how they serve as an important part of the TV process, but gives no examples. I would have appreciated more real content from actual shows. Show me the white boards where writers break down the story. Show me the beat sheets. Show me the scripts!