How to Write and Pitch an Idea for a TV Show

Take your time writing your proposal before sending it.

If you have a good idea for a television show that has not been done before, you may have a chance to get it seen by a production company and get paid for the idea. Before pitching your idea, you need to make sure it gets in the right hands and, hopefully, gets read. Put in the time and effort to come up with the best proposal possible to get the attention of the production company.

Instructions

1. Come up with a great idea for a television show and commit to your idea. It should be original and not overdone or at least be a new spin on a current concept. Give it a good deal of thought before working out the details.

2. Write a rough draft of your proposal by taking notes of the most important aspects of the television show such as the genre, basic premise, location, number of characters and other details. Include a note about why you feel this show would be a great addition to the network you want to pitch it to.

3. Write a formal proposal for the television show starting with the title and genre. Continue writing the logline, which is about two to three sentences describing the premise of the show. This is perhaps the most important part of the proposal as it is what will grab the reader's attention. Complete the proposal with a more lengthy explanation of the show, also known as the synopsis, which explains in detail what the show is about.

4. Call the production company you are hoping to pitch to before you send the proposal as it may not get in the right hands. Explain that you have a pitch for a new television show and ask for a contact person to send your proposal to. Mail your proposal with a cover letter and your contact information.

Tips & Warnings

• Hire a professional writer to complete the proposal if you don't feel comfortable with your own writing skills. You want to have the best written pitch possible.

References

• Writeaholics.net: How and Where to Pitch an Idea for a TV Show
• The TV Writer's Vault: How to Pitch a TV Show Idea or Script

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish