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Crafty TV Writing: Thinking Inside the Box
A professional TV writer's real-world guide to getting paid to write great television
Everyone watches television, and everyone has an opinion on what makes good TV. But, as Alex Epstein shows in this invaluable guide, writing for television is a highly specific craft that requires knowledge, skill, and more than a few insider's tricks.
Epstein, a veteran TV writer and show creator himself, provides essential knowledge about the entire process of television writing, both for beginners and for professionals who want to go to the next level. Crafty TV Writing explains how to decode the hidden structure of a TV series. It describes the best ways to generate a hook, write an episode, create characters the audience will never tire of, construct entertaining dialogue, and use humor. It shows how to navigate the tough but rewarding television industry, from writing your first "spec" script, to getting hired to work on a show, to surviving—even thriving—if you get fired. And it illuminates how television writers think about the shows they're writing, whether they're working in comedy, drama, or "reality."
Fresh, funny, and informed, Crafty TV Writing is the essential guide to writing for and flourishing in the world of television.
Everyone watches television, and everyone has an opinion on what makes good TV. But, as Alex Epstein shows in this invaluable guide, writing for television is a highly specific craft that requires knowledge, skill, and more than a few insider's tricks.
Epstein, a veteran TV writer and show creator himself, provides essential knowledge about the entire process of television writing, both for beginners and for professionals who want to go to the next level. Crafty TV Writing explains how to decode the hidden structure of a TV series. It describes the best ways to generate a hook, write an episode, create characters the audience will never tire of, construct entertaining dialogue, and use humor. It shows how to navigate the tough but rewarding television industry, from writing your first "spec" script, to getting hired to work on a show, to surviving—even thriving—if you get fired. And it illuminates how television writers think about the shows they're writing, whether they're working in comedy, drama, or "reality."
Fresh, funny, and informed, Crafty TV Writing is the essential guide to writing for and flourishing in the world of television.
327 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2006
61 people are currently reading
404 people want to read
About the author
Alex Epstein
8 books23 followersA native New Yorker, Alex Epstein studied Computer Science and English at Yale University. After a year in Paris, he studied filmmaking at the University of California, Los Angeles in the School of Theatre, Film and Television, finishing with an MFA.
Throughout the 1990s, Epstein worked in the motion picture industry as a development executive. His first book, Crafty Screenwriting, came out of his experiences developing movies.
Epstein moved to Montreal in 2000 and began his career as a professional screenwriter. He co-created the comedy series Naked Josh, which ran for three seasons, and co-wrote the hit buddy cop comedy Bon Cop / Bad Cop. He is also the Narrative Director of the video games Contrast and We Happy Few.
Epstein lives in Montreal's Old Port with his wife, Lisa Hunter (author of The Intrepid Art Collector) and his two children.
Throughout the 1990s, Epstein worked in the motion picture industry as a development executive. His first book, Crafty Screenwriting, came out of his experiences developing movies.
Epstein moved to Montreal in 2000 and began his career as a professional screenwriter. He co-created the comedy series Naked Josh, which ran for three seasons, and co-wrote the hit buddy cop comedy Bon Cop / Bad Cop. He is also the Narrative Director of the video games Contrast and We Happy Few.
Epstein lives in Montreal's Old Port with his wife, Lisa Hunter (author of The Intrepid Art Collector) and his two children.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 7, 2018
Gives me even more joy watching TV now and analyzing what went into the show/series.
November 6, 2014
I really enjoyed this TV writing book. It's a little dated now -- new shows like Breaking Bad and True Detectives have changes TV quite a bit, but the foundation of this book is still good and well-written. There is a lot of important information to take from this book and I found it very useful overall. The writer's website also had some extra useful information on it, including links of where to find scripts. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who is interested in writing television, as it's a great starting point.
February 6, 2008
Very informative book that is fun to read, too. I would recommend this book in conjunction with Rabkin and Goldberg's book "Successful Television Writing," also on my list.
This book has a younger and more current tone and a bit more specific info on writing for pay cable TV shows like the Sopranos (although all the TV writing books are still sadly lacking in this area, in my opinion!)
This book has a younger and more current tone and a bit more specific info on writing for pay cable TV shows like the Sopranos (although all the TV writing books are still sadly lacking in this area, in my opinion!)
August 1, 2012
He leido unos cuantos manuales de guión y este de televisión es uno de los que mas me ha gustado. Es divertido y original y muy actual. Tiene consejos y guías de todo tipo sobre el mundo de la televisión (aunque muchos se aplican al mercado americano).
Quizá otros libros que son más puramente manual no, pero este es uno de esos que un amante de las series puede disfrutar igualmente (creo yo.¡).
Quizá otros libros que son más puramente manual no, pero este es uno de esos que un amante de las series puede disfrutar igualmente (creo yo.¡).
August 8, 2018
was gonna give it 3 stars, but I appreciated Epstein's enthusiasm for JJ's 'Alias' throughout.
June 28, 2017
After finishing the 2nd draft of my 10th book, I decided it was time to try something different. I enrolled in a Scriptwriting class through Coursera and wrote a TV Pilot. Trying something new and getting feedback from my peers was both exhilarating and overwhelming. Which led me to read Crafty TV Writing by Alex Epstein.
I really enjoyed Epstein's style and voice throughout the book. He is both practical and entertaining and I think anyone who enjoys watching television would find this book interesting. It's even better for someone who wants to write for television.
Prior to my scriptwriting course, everything I knew about writing for TV I learned from watching Seinfeld. Which in hindsight, wasn't such a bad education. Epstein, however, adds to what I learned there. His book is divided into three parts: Thinking Inside the Box, The Writer's Toolkit and Working in TV Land. Part one dissects the technicalities of scriptwriting including the hook, characters, show bible, springboard and more. Epstein frequently refers to TV shows on air to illustrate his points. Part Two focuses on weakness in scripts and how to fix them including how to take and use criticism. Part Three outlines what it's like to work on a TV show and explains some of the different writing jobs.
The version I read was written in 2006. I don't think Epstein has updated his book since then. His TV references could use some more recent references and I had to wonder if some of the formatting and inner workings of television have changed since then. Still, I think it is well worth reading and feel I have a much better picture of what it would be like to work as a writer in television. Alex also shares a lot on his blog, which I plan to start reading.
I really enjoyed Epstein's style and voice throughout the book. He is both practical and entertaining and I think anyone who enjoys watching television would find this book interesting. It's even better for someone who wants to write for television.
Prior to my scriptwriting course, everything I knew about writing for TV I learned from watching Seinfeld. Which in hindsight, wasn't such a bad education. Epstein, however, adds to what I learned there. His book is divided into three parts: Thinking Inside the Box, The Writer's Toolkit and Working in TV Land. Part one dissects the technicalities of scriptwriting including the hook, characters, show bible, springboard and more. Epstein frequently refers to TV shows on air to illustrate his points. Part Two focuses on weakness in scripts and how to fix them including how to take and use criticism. Part Three outlines what it's like to work on a TV show and explains some of the different writing jobs.
The version I read was written in 2006. I don't think Epstein has updated his book since then. His TV references could use some more recent references and I had to wonder if some of the formatting and inner workings of television have changed since then. Still, I think it is well worth reading and feel I have a much better picture of what it would be like to work as a writer in television. Alex also shares a lot on his blog, which I plan to start reading.
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October 12, 2025The world of TV moves fast -- this book was written in 2005 and, as such, is a tad outdated, sometimes hilariously so ("Have you heard of this cool website called netflix.com? You can rent old seasons of TV shows on there!"). Despite that, much of the tips and tricks here were interesting and useful, in particular about breaking the story of an episode prior to actually writing it and the staff structure/heirarchy on TV shows. Will I be inspired to write a spec script of my own? ...Perhaps. In the meantime, I have been reminded of the wealth of TV I have yet to watch, and will be watching it with a more discerning and analytical eye than previously.
April 10, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this.
If you’re looking for an A-Z guide on how to write for television then look no further.
Crafty TV writing has it all. Alex Epstein does a brilliant job in covering all aspects of TV writing from; structure, ideas, writing the script, writers rooms, bad writing, comedy, working in TV, breaking in, moving up the food chain, and creating your own show.
The author writes in an easy to understand and humorous way making it all very easy to absorb for the reader.
A lot of the book is focused towards an American reader and American television but the majority of principles can be universally applied.
Highly recommended for all screenwriters.
If you’re looking for an A-Z guide on how to write for television then look no further.
Crafty TV writing has it all. Alex Epstein does a brilliant job in covering all aspects of TV writing from; structure, ideas, writing the script, writers rooms, bad writing, comedy, working in TV, breaking in, moving up the food chain, and creating your own show.
The author writes in an easy to understand and humorous way making it all very easy to absorb for the reader.
A lot of the book is focused towards an American reader and American television but the majority of principles can be universally applied.
Highly recommended for all screenwriters.
July 26, 2019
A little dated, but really solid intro to TV Writing. Would love to have him update the book.
September 18, 2019
One of the Best
Normally, I prefer quick reads, but this book really does contain a lot of greqt information for storytelling. I recommend it.
Normally, I prefer quick reads, but this book really does contain a lot of greqt information for storytelling. I recommend it.
January 24, 2021
2009 is a bit dated for the evolving television industry, though the book is still filled with hopeful launching points for a budding writer.
August 26, 2023
We might need a couple of years(since the space has changed soooo much) an updated version. A little dated. But full of a lot of broad insight.
November 28, 2023
Screenwriter from 🇹🇿
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2014
Much of this book isn't all that relevant to what I need from a TV book these days--it was mostly about 1) writing specs of existing shows, whereas I'm working on original pilots, and 2) what to expect/do if you do get a break, which hasn't happened for me yet--but Alex Epstein is always good for inspiration, encouragement, and frank talk about the TV business. I just wish he (and everybody else) would update to accommodate the switch to five-act structure in one-hour shows.
July 23, 2016
This book was really good. I read it last year while I was in film school. I really didn't get a good chance to fully understand the book so I read it again without the pressure of school. I must say that I LOVED it! I also subscribe to this author's blog which has even more great tips. Now I'm writing for TV and developing treatments for an Entertainment company, I still read this book. It's just my go to!
January 1, 2012
An excellent resource, though some of the information is dated. For example, tv showrunners are reading fewer specs of existing shows and more pilots to hire staff writers. Still, craft of writing for tv information (the bulk of the book) is timeless and very useful. Recommend for both novice and experienced writers.
April 19, 2010
Alex Epstein's CRAFTY TV WRITING is a terrific new book full of great advice about the craft of episodic writing and insights into the business of television (and I'm not just saying that because he quotes liberally from me and my blog). If I didn't have a book of my own, Successful Television Writing, to recommend, this is the one I'd tell every aspiring TV writer to buy.
November 3, 2010
Great resource, quick read and lots of priceless advice. A nice overview of the TV side of the film industry for those who don't know much. I'm hoping to put some of these strategies into action soon.
June 30, 2013
This is a handy little book if you've never learned how to write for television! It is dated but not a problem if you've seen the shows, you'll get what Mr. Epstein is trying to convey. I too would like to see an updated version but this one is fine. I really found Appendix 6 very helpful!
January 23, 2014
EXCELLENT! Very thorough, great examples, a wide-ranging look at all aspects of TV writing. Lots of references, lots of samples. The way in which it was written was fluid, efficient. I zipped through it.
January 27, 2015
This was a great introduction to the world of TV writing. I'll never forget the intro comparing movies to a one night stand :) There were great examples and the tone was smooth and conversational. Highly recommended for anyone interested in writing for television.
June 10, 2007
Very readable and informative. It also helps that Epstein enjoys the same shows I do. :-) I would recommend this to anyone curious about writing for television.
March 15, 2008
Very interesting and well written.
May 15, 2008
boo-yah. this was so much fun. I couldn't put it down. i totally understand and appreciate TV so much more now.
January 30, 2015
My TV writing bible. Have read 3+ times.
January 11, 2013
Informative. But that's it. No charm.
November 22, 2013
Well worth it. Recommended highly.
April 27, 2014
Very thorough. Very good. Comedy section was less helpful than I wanted, but it was still good to know some of the ins and outs of industry work and expectations.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews