Private, interactive Zoom class hosted by a top television executive behind hit YA series and global breakout franchises - former EVP of Scripted Development at The CW Television Network. She has helped develop hit shows like Gossip Girl, All American, and Riverdale, and the projects she has worked on have earned 15 Primetime Emmy Awards!

Walk away with downloadable development resources, exclusive research tools, and a professional beat sheet you can immediately apply to your own project!

Spots are limited and this will fill fast. Secure yours now.

Flexible payment plans are available at checkout! Questions or for a payment plan - Email edu@stage32.com 

Young Adult television is one of the most exciting and influential forces in today’s global entertainment industry. From breakout phenomena like Stranger Things and Wednesday to emotionally resonant hits like The Summer I Turned Pretty and Euphoria, YA series launch careers, build passionate fandoms, and create franchises that thrive for years!

If you’re ready to create television that sells in today’s marketplace, this is where you start. In this exclusive Stage 32 class, you will learn how to navigate the YA marketplace, define your target audience, develop a market-aware concept, craft a compelling pilot with authentic characters and dialogue, and build a confident, professional pitch using powerful development resources, research tools, and a sample beat sheet you can immediately apply to your project.

Many creatives are excited to break into YA but simply need the right strategy to do it with confidence. Whether you have a strong idea and want clarity on where it fits in the marketplace, guidance on shaping it into a sellable concept, or help capturing a voice that resonates with today’s audiences, this class gives you the tools to strengthen your development approach, understand what buyers are looking for, craft an emotionally grounded pilot, and deliver a clear, compelling pitch with confidence.

This class is hosted by Gaye Hirsch, who has overseen hundreds of pitches, read thousands of scripts, and helped develop hit series including Gossip Girl, All American, and Riverdale. Gaye Hirsch is a producer and former EVP of Scripted Development and Alternative Programming at The CW Television Network, where she oversaw all scripted development and helped bring hit series like All American, Walker, Superman & Lois, The Flash, Arrow, Jane the Virgin, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Riverdale, and Legacies to the network. She previously worked in current programming at The CW, where she oversaw productions including Gossip Girl. Across her career, the projects she has helped develop and produce have earned 15 Primetime Emmy Awards and more than 190 honors worldwide. With experience spanning development, production, and programming across major studios and networks, Gaye brings a rare 360-degree understanding of how projects move from idea to greenlight. She knows what executives respond to in the room, what makes a YA concept stand out, and how writers can position themselves professionally in a highly competitive landscape.

By the end of this interactive class, you won’t just understand how YA television works - you’ll walk away knowing exactly how to develop, write, and pitch a Young Adult series with clarity, strategy, and confidence.

This interactive Stage 32 class is held on Zoom and goes substantially more in depth than a Stage 32 webinar. Best of all? As soon as you sign up you will be linked on email with your Stage 32 Educator and given a questionnaire to fill out and send back to them. You will have access to your Educator for the duration of your class by email to ask them any questions you have about your craft or career - it’s like having a mentor on demand! And, if you can't make a live session, don't worry! All class recordings will be available 48 hours after each session and you will be able to view them in your Library on your Stage 32 profile. Finally, you can expand your network with like-minded creatives - you'll have a dedicated lounge for interactive support and discussions with your fellow classmates!

PLUS! You will receive the following handouts the help you:

• Development resources and research tools
  

• Sample beat sheet
  
  

Session #1: Research & Develop Your Series

We’ll break down the YA marketplace and help you shape your idea into a clear, compelling and sellable concept.

• How the industry defines YA — and how the genre crosses categories
• Who the YA audience really is (teens, new adults, co-viewing)
• What today’s audiences are craving
• Who the buyers are and what they’re looking for
• How to research the marketplace and identify opportunity gaps
• Original ideas vs. IP: benefits, challenges, and considerations
• Writing solo vs. collaborating
• The core components of a strong YA series
• The most common mistakes writers make in YA development
• How to construct a clear, concise and intriguing logline
• Q&A with Gaye 

Handout: Development resources and research tools
Assignment: Craft a compelling logline

Session #2: Write & Pitch Your Series

The art of executing your idea on the page and presenting it professionally.

• When to write first vs. pitch first
• How to develop a strong story area
• How to create an effective beat sheet
• Structuring your pilot for maximum impact
• Crafting engaging character arcs
• Writing authentic, differentiated dialogue
• Building narrative propulsion and emotional resonance
• Creating strong openings and compelling cliffhangers
• Avoiding exposition and “novel-style” writing
  
  

Pitching Your Series

• Shaping  a compelling 20–30 minute pitch
• Why your personal connection to the material matters
• Opening with a strong teaser
• Presenting genre, tone, characters and themes clearly
• Referencing comps strategically
• Showcasing pilot and Season 1 arcs
• Demonstrating long-term sustainability
• Pitch deck best practices (design, timing, clarity)
• Handling questions confidently
• Leave-behinds and professional follow-up
• Q&A with Gaye 

Handout: Sample beat sheet 

Assignment: Read the beat sheet and watch the completed episode and identify changes

WHAT TO EXPECT:

PLEASE NOTE: This exclusive Stage 32 class will be booked on a first-come, first-served basis. The opportunity to work this closely and for this long with an expert in the field is an incredibly unique and valuable opportunity. If you are interested, please book quickly. Once the spots are gone, they’re gone for good.

• This is an intimate, in-depth, practical, and detailed class held on Zoom where you will be interacting with your instructor.

• This class consists of 2 sessions roughly two hours in duration and offers significantly more in-depth content than a standard Stage 32 webinar.

• ***Your instructor will be available on email during the entire duration of the class to answer any questions you have about your project.***

• To stay motivated and inspired you will have access to a dedicated Stage 32 Lounge post where you can meet, connect and communicate with your fellow classmates throughout the length of the class and beyond. Let Stage 32 help you find your tribe!

• Can't make it live? Don't worry, each session will be recorded and you can watch it on demand at your convenience. 

• You will be held accountable to take the lessons from each week and move your work forward.

• Payment plans are available at checkout through Shop Pay

• Writers who want to break into the Young Adult television market with a strong, sellable concept

• Creatives developing YA pilots who need guidance on structure, tone, and authentic character voice

• Screenwriters looking to better understand what buyers and executives are actually seeking right now

• Storytellers who have a YA idea but aren’t sure how to position it for the current marketplace

• Writers preparing to pitch a YA series and wanting professional tools, strategy, and confidence

• Emerging and experienced writers who want a clear, step-by-step framework from idea to pitch room