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Tuesday, October 04, 2005
So far, the subtitle that most represents the book -- I'm not saying it's the catchiest, just the most accurate -- is:
CRAFTY TV WRITING: How to think like, write like, and become a television writer
By the author of Crafty Screenwriting.
Can anyone make that sing?
18 Comments:
How about:
CRAFTY TV WRITING: think, write, and sell like a pro.By
Stephen Gallagher, at 9:28 AM
Snappy, I like it. But is there any concern aboput what type of "PRO" you mean. On second thought, nah, we're all "PROS" in this biznez.
By
CRAFTY TV WRITING: A Guide to the Stages of Television Writing
By the author of Crafty Screenwriting
CRAFTY TV WRITING: A Guide from Idea to Final Shot
By the author of Crafty Screenwriting
CRAFTY TV WRITING: The Thoughts, Words and Deeds of Successful TV ScriptingA few tweaks on Stephen's excellent version:
CRAFTY TV WRITING: How to think, write and sell like a pro.
OR:
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Learn to think, write and sell like a pro.
And going in a slightly different direction:
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Learn the writing, thinking and selling tricks TV professionals use.
CRAFTY TV WRITING: The secrets to becoming a professional television writer.
It's in there somewhere.By
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Thinking, writing and making quality television.
CRAFTY TV WRITING: How to think, write and live like a television writer.CRAFTY TV WRITING: How to think, write and sell like a pro.
This one's a winner with me!By
CRAFTY TV WRITING:
How to think, write and work like a pro.
or
How to think, write and pitch like a pro.
or
How to think, write and work in television
I think we're getting closer, here ....By
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Becoming a TV writer by thinking and writing like a pro.
Tighter:
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Become a TV writer by thinking and writing like a pro.I don't think I'd go for 'accurate' over 'catchy', but that's just me, 'inaccurate' trailers oft win bigtime, out-of-context snipplets sometimes just work, grabs the overall theme. And pure accuracy in marketing? Since when has that ever happened? :) And plus such is too wordy. And 'becoming' is a no no, it says novice job seeker, 'follow-this-path.' You want real current TV writers to buy the book too. You don't 'become', you 'are'. And if you aren't, you need this guide to 'be'. Use 'becoming' and that kills out a good size of your potential readership. And I hate hate 'How To's'; banish that phrase. The three-points, this, this and that, I think is too wordy, reads like "Substance, Structure, Style" McKee'isms. And 'Television Writer' is redudant. And 'sell like a pro' reminds me of the easy-come on Sales books, make millions following my proven MLM path, blah blah blah. I don't like. And once again, 'like a pro' cuts out current pros. Need something that encompasses all, and makes it 'art of the craft, art of the trade'.
Ok, that was the easy part, all the no-no's.... :)
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Thinking, Writing, Being
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Writing and Knowing Television
CRAFTY TV WRITING: A TV Writers Universal Remote Control
CRAFTY TV WRITING: The Art of Understanding and Writing Television
More to come as I churn this around. I do like the "Universal Remote Control" take slash hook, but not sure that's universal itself. :)By
My suggestion:
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Reason like a professional writer.
Reasoning sounds less vague than thinking and it also expresses the idea of a deliberate process.
The writing and selling matter is implied in "professional writer".Well, if going that way...kill the evil "how-to" and make it:
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Thinking, Writing and Working in Television
How-To implies an ordered-list, follow this path, if you do this, then this will happen, a Betty Crocker cookbook of sorts, such is not 'Crafty'. It goes against the insiders guide absurd take, and becomes just another pseudo-quack charlatan-styled how-to, something the world doesn't need any more of.
"Like a Pro", as said before, well what if already a Pro? Why should I buy this book then? :)By
To appeal to beginners and pros alike:
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Making and managing a successful career.
It's simple but I like that it avoids the tautalogical aspects of "write like a writer" or "sell like a pro."It's not a tautology to say "sell like a pro" any more than it is to say "eat like a slob".
Can you "sell like an amateur"? Sure.
Selling, per se, doesn't imply professional status. Ebay anyone?By
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Learn to think, write, and sell like a TV pro.
By
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Writing Television That Gets You the Job, by the author of CRAFTY SCREENWRITING: Writing Movies That Get Made.
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Writing TV That Gets You the Job, by the author of CRAFTY SCREENWRITING: Writing Movies That Get Made.
I dislike the two redundant "writing's" but in a small sample poll, everyone I queried didn't have a problem with it, so what do I know...
CRAFTY TV WRITING: Understanding, Writing and Working in Television
Understanding goes deeper than Thinking, to think is to know, to understand is to know, before even thinking. Understanding is crafty itself. Doesn't fit as smooth as 'Understanding....in Television' is jaring. But the "in" really only connects to Working.
And why only need one subhead? Could have two (one hook "remote control" and then more accurate description of said content) and then the 'by the Author of' as the bottom-of-the-book-italicized-bio. The McKee-like 3-point description has zero hook, imho. Informative sure, but bland and not very sticky.
PS - Where you at with this? Going in what direction? Just curious. :)By
Morgan le Fay--
King Arthur's lover and nemesis
--was a teenage girl once...
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