How Do I Turn a Story Into a TV Series?

How to Sell a TV Show -- powered by ehow

Dear Rich, I had written a story (not a book). How do I copyright my story and my characters in the story? I plan to sell the story to TV producer for a whole season drama TV series. Do I need a lawyer? Is there self to do it method? Do you know how I can find the TV producers? You get a copyright automatically once you finish your story. So, you don't need to do anything. The copyright will cover the characters provided they are fleshed out thoroughly and not merely stock characters. If you would like to file an application for copyright registration for your story you can do it online (the cost is $35).
Making the deal. By "self to do it" we assume you mean do-it-yourself and no, we doubt there's any way you can DIY a deal unless you are capable of creating an alternate universe in which regular people can access industry decision-makers (perhaps a universe similar to the one in which Tinker Bell's life-support is maintained by thousands of believers). We base this opinion solely on anecdotal evidence from those who have pitched their work in New York and L.A. The relatively vacuous advice provided in the eHow video above, seems to validate our opinion. Despite the grim scorecard, we do believe that phenomenal writing and talent can succeed. To proceed along this course, we'd suggest you hone your skills with one of the many books, workshops, or seminars on the subject.