Bill Idelson's Writing Class

by Bill Idelson, Rob Lotterstein (Foreword)

olled in Bill Idelson's writing class and are now seated in Bill and Seemah's kitchen with other students at a pine table that once belonged to Humphrey Bogart and was bought at his estate auction in Beverly Hills. You took the class because Bill's students are reputed to get jobs in television and movies more consistently than those who have come from other classes in the country. Bill is now ready to begin the first session, and you will experience his course from beginning to end, and the rest is up to you. Learn how to write for television from someone who really did it. Bill has written for Get Smart, The Flintstones, MASH, Happy Days, The Bob Newhart Show, The Andy Griffith Show, and many more. Two sample scripts from The Andy Griffith Show and Get Smart round out your lessons! 184 pages. Illustrated. 2007. Paperback. Appendices include two sample television scripts. KEYWORDS Bill Idelson, writing for television radio and new media, writing for television series serials & soaps writing for television news, writing for television radio and new media, writing for television series serials & soaps, television writing, screenwriting, script writing, comedy writing, television, television history, television comedy, television comedy writing, Get Smart, Don Adams, The Flintstones, MASH, Alan Alda, Happy Days, The Bob Newhart Show, The Andy Griffith Show,

Genres: Writing, Film

184 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 2007

Reviews

[Brian Mcdonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure if it’s cool to review older books here, but that’s what I’m going to do. I think anyone interested in writing stories should read Bill Idelson's Writing Class by Bill Idelson. Idelson was an old time television writer who wrote for classic shows like The Twilight Zone, The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Andy Griffith Show to name a few.
His book is based on a class that he used to teach out of his house. Now dead, he was self taught and felt an obligation to teach others the things he learned on his own. A friend of mine, who later became a writer on Seinfeld, took Idelson’s class and said that he didn’t even charge – he just passed a coffee can around after the class and people paid what they could. Many of his students went on to have lucrative writing careers.

I like this book because it is practical information by a craftsman who made his living telling stories. It is the nuts-and-bolts of story structure. Some will find the book too basic, but I find that most people do not focus enough on the basics and try to bypass ever really learning them. Others will find the book too short, believing that length is a measurement of value. Trust me, this book has real value -- it is clear and focused.

The book is full of exercises that he gave to his students and if you do each of these assignments without reading ahead you will be a better storyteller by the time you get to the end of this short, but useful book.