How to Write a Central Dramatic Question for your TV Show (and Pilot) - With Examples

Last week I talked about the structural backbone that every movie plot needs. Today we dive into its TV version.

Welcome to my Weekly Email Newsletter! Every week, I do a deep dive into an aspect of the craft and business of screenwriting from a literary manager’s perspective.

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Otherwise, keep reading for my insights on the Central Dramatic Question in TV.

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One of the biggest mistakes I see new screenwriters make is choosing to write a pilot script instead of a feature because they think that shorter = easier.

This could not be further from the truth.

A feature script needs to accomplish the following:

• Tell a compelling story from beginning to end.

• Do it in 120 pages or less.

A pilot script needs to accomplish the following: