There are many books on the market about the TV writing business. Unfortunately, most tend to fall into one of two somewhat-unsuccsesful camps. Those that are written by academics tend to cover the basics well, but have too much of an outsider POV to give true insight into the actual workings of the biz and the path to success. Those written by actual insiders tend to assume too much “base” knowledge on the part of the reader so the valuable “seasoned veterans” tips and “what to avoid”s go over the head of a rookie.

Writing the TV Drama Series: How to Succeed as a Professional Writer in TV by Pamela Douglas is successful in both conveying the basics and giving the inside scoop, probably because the author is both an academic (an associate professor in the USC School of Cinema-Televison) and a true insider, having had a long career as a TV writer/producer. This book contains solid, current information, such as:

- An overview of the basic TV calendar (pilot season, pick-ups, staffing season, etc.).

- A dissection of the classic one-hour drama script.

- An explanation of how a TV writing staff works and seven mistakes to avoid.

- A breakdown of the different positions on a writing staff.

- A concise explanation of how to break in to the world of TV writing.

- Interviews with other top industry insiders.

This book provides everything an aspiring TV writer needs to know and is current for today’s market with three exceptions: Those doing the hiring these days (the showrunners, with help from studio and network executives) like to read an original pilot by writers they are considering for their staff in addition to a spec sample of a similar show. This is a new development in the last couple of years.

Another change is that with the rise of TV dramas appearing on both premium and basic cable channels and the increase in mid-season replacements being lined up by network brass with itchy trigger fingers, the calendar doesn’t always hold true. Projects can get picked up off-season. The third very recent development is the increasing frequency with which projects brought to pilot by one network, but not picked up to series, are being bought by other networks and cable channels. Lately, what would’ve once been a “dead” project is finding a pulse after being put in the coffin.

So if you are looking for a one-book answer to all of your questions about breaking in as a TV drama writer, pick up a copy of Writing the TV Drama Series by Pamela Douglas. You’ll be glad you did.

Note: If you click on the book cover at the top of the post (like most of the books and DVDs pictured on this site), you will be taken to Amazon, where you can buy this book and/or anything else you want and the gremlins that put this blog together while I sleep will get four cents or something. Consider it well-earned.

And Here’s the Kicker by Mike Sacks is a deeply entertaining and enjoyable book. So deeply entertaining and enjoyable, in fact, that you seldom pause to realize how much you are learning about the delicate art of creating comedy.

You are hearing stories about how many times the makers of BORAT got stopped by the police during production (and how Sacha Baron Cohen never broke character during these encounters) and about how David Sedaris’s family feels about him writing about them and about how The Onion staff put out its pitch-perfect post-9/11 issue.

But then mid-interview you realize the co-creator of “The Colbert Report” is telling you how she and Stepen Colbert, the real person, created Stephen Colbert, the title character on the show, including what motivates him and what makes him funny. (I’ll give you a hint: “While he’s a moron, he’s not an asshole” is where it begins.) Or you are learning how a former writer on “The Golden Girls” took what he learned there and created “Arrested Development.”

This is all gold if you are interested in writing for television. Plus, you get actual concrete lists of advice from people in the know (and you know how much we love insider info here at YII) about getting hired as a sitcom writer, acquiring an agent or manager for your script (a topic we will also be covering here), and getting a job writing for late night television.

This book is a great read for anyone with a sense of humor and an appreciation for how comedy works. But for anyone who wants to be in the business of comedy, it’s required reading.

Note: If you click on the book cover at the top of the post (like most of the books and CDs pictured on this site), you will be taken to Amazon, where you can buy this book and/or anything else you want and the gremlins that put this blog together while I sleep will get four cents or something. Consider it well-earned.