Build a TV series bible that separates the pitch from the working continuity record: premise, engine, world rules, characters, season arcs, episode ideas, and canon changes.
Download the worksheet and keep it beside your episodes in Plot. Plot does not import this file.
Editable Markdown source. The download contains the text below.
# TV series bible A pitch bible and a working writers' room bible solve different problems. Keep the sales-facing version concise; keep the continuity record specific enough to answer future episode questions. ## 1. Series identity - Title: - Format / episode length: - Genre and tone: - One-sentence premise: - The recurring dramatic question: - What makes an episode of this show recognizably *this show*? ## 2. Series engine Describe the repeatable source of story. What changes every episode, what persists, and what reliably creates conflict? - Recurring arena: - Source of weekly pressure: - What the central characters must do again and again: - What prevents the premise from resolving immediately: - What can evolve without breaking the engine: ## 3. World rules | Rule | What the audience can expect | Exceptions / edge cases | First established | |---|---|---|---| | | | | | ## 4. Character core ### [Character name] - Role in the ensemble: - Public goal: - Private need: - Contradiction: - Relationship that creates the most story: - What this character knows at the start: - What must remain consistent: - What is allowed to change: ## 5. Relationship map | Pair / group | Current relationship | Source of friction | What neither side says | Change to track | |---|---|---|---|---| | | | | | | ## 6. Season arc - Opening status quo: - First irreversible change: - Mid-season pressure shift: - Choice that drives the back half: - Finale confrontation: - New status quo / question for the next season: ## 7. Episode bank | Episode idea | A-story choice | B-story pressure | What changes by the end | Continuity dependency | |---|---|---|---|---| | | | | | | ## 8. Continuity ledger Track facts after they become canon, not while they are still brainstorms. | Fact / rule | Established in | Changed in | Current truth | Consequences | |---|---|---|---|---| | | | | | | ## 9. Locations, institutions, and recurring objects ### [Name] - What it is: - Why stories happen here / around it: - Rules or limitations: - Characters connected to it: - Continuity notes: ## 10. Open questions - Unresolved story question: - Who owns the decision: - What future episode depends on it: - Decision deadline: ## Pitch-version trim For a pitch-facing bible, keep only the material that helps a reader understand the show, characters, engine, and forward story. Move production notes and fine-grained canon tracking into the working bible.
A pitch bible explains why the series works and where it can go. A working bible records the canon the room needs to keep future episodes consistent. This template includes both jobs and labels which material can be trimmed from a pitch-facing version.
No. Keep the sections that answer real questions for your project. A procedural may need a stronger episode engine and case bank; a serialized drama may need more season architecture and continuity tracking.
Yes. Download the Markdown and edit it in any text editor. Keep a living bible next to the episodes in Plot — this file is a worksheet, not something Plot imports.
