Writing Television

By Author: Philip Allen
Total Articles: 37
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Among all forms of creative writing, television attracts many aspirants who want to carve out a niche for themselves. Films, radio, or advertising have taken a backseat as compared to 'the tube'. The content of TV determines the revenues collected to a very large extent. The writers for TV shoulder a lot of responsibilities in the total production of the shows. In order to take on the rigors of writing for the powerful medium confidently, the writer has to be extremely:
• Dedicated
• Talented
• Responsible
• Capable of meeting deadlines
• Creative
• Relentless
• Hard working
A highly lucrative career in writing, television holds many opportunities for the right candidates. The need for quality, trained writers is escalating by the day due to the growing popularity of television as a tool for entertainment and educational purposes. In terms of quantum and stability, TV can provide jobs for writers of every caliber. Most producers today began as writers and inched their way up by their ability to face the hardships along the path. Writing for print is completely different ...
... from writing for the electronic media. Every sentence penned by the writer for the latter has to be clear and concise or else the meaning is lost. Unlike printed material, the viewer cannot return to the previous sentence to understand it better.
The foremost quality required is the art of prolific writing. Television content is of several genres and sub-genres such as comedy, drama, soap operas, talk shows, thrillers etc. The more conversant the writer is with the genres, the better will be his chances of making it big in the industry. The seeds of interest in writing for television can be nurtured and honed through experience. A thorough understanding of the format, style, and terminology used for the scripts will become stepping stones for writers hoping to enter the world of entertainment.
Breaking into the business has become tougher since the competition is stiff with countless aspiring contestants. Knowing somebody already established in the industry is an asset because that 'somebody' can give you a leg up. A practical advice is to develop a network of associates who can help to get you started. The few initial failures are hardly considered so because they teach you the craft like none other. As the digital technology is reshaping the world, writing television shows has donned a newer hue. When writing for the ear, you need not pay attention to marks of punctuation. You only have to ensure that whatever you wish to convey gets through to the audience clearly. Use a conversational tone without resorting to complicated vocabulary or high-flown grammar. This makes the person delivering the dialogue and the audience comfortable.

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