What's in a name?

Earlier this year Chris Jones from The London Screenwriters'​ Festival and I ran a weekend course for new and emerging writers. We called it 'The Plot Thickens with Eleanor Greene'. I thought it was terribly clever. Because, y'know, in TV drama the plot gets more complex with every twist and turn. Thickens. Get it?

The problem was, if you didn't already know what I was selling, you had absolutely no idea what I was selling. We discussed it: change the title. Make it do what it says on the tin.

We tried hard to find something witty that was also clear, But nothing worked. So we went with clarity and called it what it was: 'Writing Successful TV Drama with Eleanor Greene'. It does exactly what it says on the tin, and it’s selling well which is not a coincidence. The best show titles are specific.

✨ Star Wars: Resistance fighters caught between warring factions - in space. Two words, one entire world.

🔫 Mobland: Mob wars in London. Witty and direct simultaneously.

🔎 Tehran: Whatever happens in this story happens in Tehran, because were in Tehran.

💣 Fauda: Means 'chaos' in Hebrew, and when you watch the show, that's exactly what you're watching.

➡️ The title informs the story. The story delivers on the title.

In my work as a script consultant I see the opposite of this constantly. Soundbite-y titles that tell me nothing about the show and sound naff as a result. Writers trying to be clever when they should be specific. Don't be clever - be specific and call it what it is! And if you'd like to spend a weekend learning how to write it, join me and Chris on October 17th and 18th at Ealing Studios for, 'Writing Successful TV Drama with Eleanor Greene.'Admin

🎬 Tickets are selling fast - only a handful of seats remain.

https://writingtv.co.uk/