Expert: Susan Rand - 11/28/2011

Question
Dear Susan,

I'm trying to write a TV show about an amateur sleuth.

For learning purpose, is it fine to watch TV shows of the same genre, rather than reading mystery books?

My sincere thanks,

Answer
Hello Kevin:

Of course it is ok to watch TV shows instead of reading books. There is a big difference between the two formats. People who write successful mystery books try to keep some grasp on reality: how police actually work, what really happens at crime scenes, etc. People who write TV shows (in the final form), don't present facts, and most viewers understand that. TV shows tell a story, and the writers don't mind bending facts to make a good story better (in their view, more violent, lots of action, and sometimes gore), in order to attract the masses and raise their ratings. I have heard of real cops who watched CSI to get a good laugh.

So it all depends on your motive for writing a mystery. Do you care more about seeing your work on TV and making money, or are you concerned with the quality of your product? Or both?

I hope this helps. If it does, a nice rating would be greatly appreciated. I am proud of my high scores over 1900+ questions.

And good luck with your script!