Writing TV Sitcoms

Evan Smith introduces Writing Television Sitcoms as the all-in-one writer's guide to sitcoms. It sounds heavy, but honestly true. There is no aspect of TV sitcom writing a student, or otherwise, could dream up a question for which Smith doesn't have an answer. He covers how to create a sitcom, write it, and sell it. And in the first chapters he even details how anyone can make a career in writing. You will find yourself beaming with childlike enthusiasm as your eyes run through Writing Television Sitcoms.

I'll confess to some chauvinism: I'm a playwright, and when I saw a book titled "Writing Television Sitcoms," I thought it would be pretty lightweight. I was wrong! This is a superb, comprehensive book that tells you exactly what to expect, and what is expected of you, at each stage of the writing and production process.But what I think makes the book stand out is Smith's detailed explanation of how to lay a foundation for writing a script, i.e., start by considering the premise, then consider sequences and scenes, and only then move to dialogue. Smith gives the best description I've ever read of the reasons for taking this approach. You can apply these ideas not only to TV comedy, but also to plays, films, and drama. It's a good explanation of how to create a story premise that "writes itself."I intend to continue writing plays, yet I'm sure I'll refer to this book at length in the future. It's much more useful than many other writing books I've read.

Evan Smith's "Writing Television Sitcoms" is at turns both a practical handbook on building a career as a sticom scribe and a somewhat academic inquiry into the nature of comedy itself, developing a complete, independent school of thought. But what is ultimately most remarkable about Smith's work is its beguilingly logical approach. The book develops an entire theory of comedy writing to help the reader write their specs and then clearly delineates the process of turning those specs into a workable career. Especially cogent were the passages on building a script from the ground up and finding an agent in the sometimes labyrinthine Hollywood system. Like the fictional shopper in the Total cereal commercials, you might well have to read a half dozen other books on the craft to get the comedic nutrition contained in just one of Evan Smith's "Writing Television Sitcoms" Truly a must read for any current or aspiring sitcom writers.

Evan Smith's book is one of the most helpful, practical guides to writing for television that I've ever read. As someone who's new to the business, I found it invaluable and expect to keep it around as a resource for the rest of my (hopefully long) career. Not only does he walk you through the entire process of sitcom writing-from vague story idea to script to getting an agent to making a career of it-Smith even offers up his e-mail address (!) and is super nice about answering any additional questions the reader might have. There are lots of TV writer guides out there, but maybe because he's also a professor, this one is easy to follow, insightful, and actually fun to read.

As a young writer who always reads and looks for books on TV and film writing, I found the best and most thorough information in Smith's book. He gives you much more than the title suggests--valuable tips on how to pitch, what to wear, playing the agent game, etc. As far as the creative process, Smith articulates his points and methods in an organized and concise manner. Above all, he gives insightful opinions on behind the scenes politics, which most producers will not do. And when I had a specific question, I sent an e-mail to Smith (his address is given in the back of the book) and he replied. To me that says it all--an outstanding book by a great author, teacher and person.