Target women. Lifetime's main demographic is women ages 18 to 34. Therefore, unless your main character is a woman in whom your audience can make an emotional investment, you are wasting your efforts. Lifetime's audience seems to embrace thrillers and true crime stories, according to Stephen Bulka, vice president of original movies for Lifetime TV, as of 2010. Other vehicles that tend to resonate are domestic dramas, biographies, inspirational true stories and movies that deal with contemporary social and family issues.
Rip from the headlines. Just as the original "Law & Order" based its storylines on current events, so does Lifetime favor this approach. Most Lifetime movies are based on true stories, bestselling books and news stories; thus, the audience is aware of the material, yet it is fresh. It is to this type of subject matter that Lifetime feels "particularly drawn," says Bulka.
Do your homework. Study TV guides and magazines to gain a feel for Lifetime fare, whether sitcoms or movies. Watch hours of Lifetime programming. Read scripts online of highly rated Lifetime shows. When you think you have a sufficient grasp, study more. Become intimately familiar with all things Lifetime before undertaking any scriptwriting.
Structure properly. As you watch Lifetime programming, give attention to format. While two-hour feature films in the industry commonly have a three-act structure, Lifetime movies are done in eight acts to allow for commercials. Thus, writers must end more acts on some type of cliffhanger to ensure viewers return after commercial breaks. Bulka views this as a positive, saying it forces writers to give more careful thought to structure.