In case you’ve missed what’s happening at TVWriter™, the most popular blog posts during the week ending yesterday were:
Category: By TVWriter.Com
Recipe for Getting Ideas
![recipes-by-ingredients[2]](https://i0.wp.com/tvwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/recipes-by-ingredients2.jpg?resize=540%2C246&ssl=1)
by Lew Ritter
One of the most asked questions that most new writers ask is ” Where do you get ideas for your scripts?” The answer is simple, but often elusive. They come from out of the blue. Ideas are all around us like air. The important thing is to be aware of them.
First you add : READING
I wanted to write a police procedural spec script. Where would I get the ideas? Every city has a tabloid newspaper like the New York Daily News or New York Post. Scanning these tabloids can provide dozens of juicy conflict situations that are fodder for a script. An Iraq War veteran not getting appropriate care from his local V.A hospital. A politician going to jail for embezzling money. A neighbor who was abducted as a child and now has reunited with loved ones. Any situation where people are in conflict can be the basis for a story.
8 Ways Studying Improv Will Make You a Better Comedy Writer
by Erica Lies
Recently, it’s become a common adage — almost to the point of cliché — that if you want to be in entertainment, you should take improv classes. They’re recommended for a variety of benefits like networking or how they’ll teach you to think fast on your feet and be flexible. And improvising has become increasingly popular even for the regular folk, whether it’s for better communication or just feeling comfortable in front of a crowd.
But for writers who aren’t interested in performing, there’s more direct and obvious upside to studying improv: it’ll make you a better comedy writer. Yeah yeah, big shock that practicing comedy makes you better at it, but improv is often overlooked in favor of sketch precisely for those seeking writing skills.
I’ve been improvising for the last ten years, and busting my chops with various teams in front of both large and tiny audiences certainly helped me get up to speed with television writing fromBroad City to You’re the Worst. But learning to do it well will give you secret ninja comedy prowess. Here’s a few of the skills you’ll pick up that are valuable to a comedy writer:
The Week at TVWriter™ – February 8, 2016
In case you’ve missed what’s happening at TVWriter™, the most popular blog posts during the week ending yesterday were:
Turning Pro (Rookie Writer to Professional)
by Diana Black
If what follows doesn’t resonate with you, then do whatever does. The important thing is to be writing and working on your craft every day. You’ll never take yourself seriously or be taken seriously by others if you don’t start thinking and acting like a professional.
Ideally, at any one time you should be taking actionable steps on a daily basis – with any or all of the following: stories in ‘Creative Preparation’ stage, stories ‘In Development’ – either in the vomit (first) draft stage or being rewritten and polished. And finally, stories in ‘Pitch/Marketing’ stage – you’re pitching it/them directly or researching and/or organizing to market in some way. Your daily workload will of course depend on how many you have and in what stage.
Stories in ‘Creative Preparation’ stage are ideas/concepts in rough-note form. No matter how outrageous/silly these notes might be, don’t discard them – ever – lock them in a drawer. People know you’re a writer and such is expected of writers and you are one aren’t you? They’ll not suspect you of being a serial killer but mark it ‘fiction’ if you have to. Always have a notebook handy – jot down ideas, characters, events etc. – immediately – wherever you happen to be and whenever they present themselves. You’ll think you’ll remember that stupendous idea later but chances are you won’t.