For a few of my MFA in Screenwriting applications, I needed to come up with an original TV pilot script. Although I can’t tell you how to come up with your brilliant show idea or where to find your next inspiration, here are a few helpful hints on preparing to write.
- Your first idea will not be your best. No matter what I am writing, I try to come up with at least 15-20 different ideas. The one I am most inspired by is usually within the last quarter.
- TV writing is about a premise. It is about a world and its characters. Unlike a movie that has a clear problem that should be resolved, your show needs to be able to work for 3, 7, or 15 years.
- Do your research. Read a book or two on writing for television. I particularly enjoyed Writing the TV Drama Series and Writing the Pilot (both were required for my screenwriting classes).
- Read other pilots! There are lists online of the best/most captivating pilots. Read a bunch of them and figure out what makes them so great. Apply to your own writing.
This is probably the bare minimum. If you are pitching your script, then you want to have a lot more work done (such as a Writer’s Bible, midseason episode, etc.). However, all I need at the moment is a pilot script and this is the knowledge I’ve gained so far. Hope it is of some use 🙂