Type your drama script in the standard 12-point Courier font. Align text to the left of your page unless otherwise specified.
Notate the transition at the beginning of each scene, such as "Fade from black," followed by a colon. Type this in all capital letters.
Type the scene heading or "slug line" for your page two lines below your transition. Continue to write in all capital letters. Begin with "Int." or "Ext." to indicate an interior or exterior setting as well as the name of the location and the time of day. Separate the time of day from the other information with a hyphen; represent this in generalities such as "day" or "night" or in a specific time if crucial to the plot. Be concise; include only the necessary details. Include a new slug line with each location change. Give an action-packed drama a slug line of "INT. FBI HEADQUARTERS -- 3:30 PM," or a character-driven drama a slug line such as "INT. LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT."
Include an action block after each slug line. Type in sentence case. Set the scene in present tense with as much detail as necessary. Include descriptions of buildings or passers-by as well as any action that sets the mood. Do not include anything that will occur in the dialogue. Simply lay the groundwork for the plot. Capitalize all letters in character names that occur in action blocks throughout the script. (see Reference 1)
List a character in all capital letters at the first mention of his name. Include his age immediately after the name in parentheses along with a brief description of his appearance. Mention only the details necessary at the point of introduction. Do not interrupt the flow of the action. Describe a prominent character's potential love interest as "LESLIE (32), who has a lighthearted demeanor and genuine smile. Her hair flutters delicately around her face in the breeze." Introduce a tertiary character by saying, "he spots MR. LEONE (60s-70s), his friendly and helpful neighbor."
Begin dialogue by moving down two lines. Indent 3.5 inches from the left margin. Type the name, in all uppercase letters, of the character delivering the dialogue. Do not follow with any punctuation. Move one line down and set the left tab stop 2.5 inches from the left margin; set the right tab stop anywhere between 2 and 2.5 inches from the right margin. Type the character's dialogue in sentence case between these margins.
Indicate that a character is speaking but not shown on screen by writing "V.O." to represent a voice-over or "O.S." to represent off-screen dialogue after the character's name in parentheses before the corresponding dialogue.
Begin each portion of your television drama script -- the teaser, each act and the final tag -- on a new page. Introduce each act with the word "Act" and the act number spelled out at the top of the page in all uppercase letters. Center this text and move down three lines before adding content. Finish each act by moving down three lines from the content and entering the phrase "End of act" followed by the act number spelled out. Type in all capital letters and center your text.
Be original. Draw inspiration from aspects of your favorite shows, but don't replicate the formulas they use to be successful.
Have a clear idea about your target audience. Plan the time of day at which your show would air, what ages of people would watch it and what channel might carry it. Sort out these specifics in the beginning so your objectives are clear.
Create strong, relatable characters. Devise histories and relationships for them, even beyond those that are immediately seen on the screen, so that characters have depth and are intriguing to watch. Give your characters active roles in the plot. Dealing with obstacles presents an ideal opportunity to show character development.
Grab the attention of the audience immediately in the episode with startling events or engaging character interactions. Structure each episode such that the first act is the longest. Hook your audience in the beginning of the episode. Create obstacle-ridden or highly dramatic story lines that viewers will tune into episode after episode to see resolved.
Don't put too much weight on the dialogue. Let action express a portion of the story, and have characters occasionally relate to each other through gestures and facial expressions. Read dialogue aloud to make sure it is not overly explanatory.
Give episodes momentum. Include only scenes that advance the plot. Make scenes dynamic; have initial actions set off reactions rather than including chronological yet unrelated events. Wrap up the conflict just before the end of the episode, and tie all loose ends. Don't resolve your plots too quickly.