Category: Resources

40 years worth of TV writing experience and info, yours for the taking.

Angelo J. Bell: Recovery and Resurgence: Just Keep Swimming

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by Angelo J. Bell

The news hit hard. Kiss of the Black Forest aka Legend of Black Lotus did not make it to the quarterfinalssemifinals of the Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Contest. Time to pull myself up by the bootstraps and get busy. At the time we were eight and 3/4 months into 2014 and there wasn’t much time left to get things done. I decided that something had to happen in Q4. Forget about anything and everyone else who couldn’t or wouldn’t see my aspirations or vision — something had to happen.

I was spread pretty thin: screenwriting contests. Prepping TV pitches. Getting ready to launch a feature film project.

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”  read article

A TV Writer Reflects on the Stories That We Create

And when that writer is responsible for such hits as MAD ABOUT YOU, THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR, FULL HOUSE, et al, that’s a reflection to bask in:

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by David S. Simon

Here’s what I’m thinking. read article

Writers – learn to meet deadlines & be collaborative!

The Bitter Script Reader tells us the 2 most important things every writer – regardless of the medium she or he is working in – must know. (Especially if you want to get paid!)

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by The Bitter Script Reader

Back in July, I attended San Diego Comic-Con and was lucky enough to attend a panel with a murderer’s row of TV writers.  Speakers included Ashley Edward Miller (who was kind enough to praise my puppet videos when I introduced myself to him,) Jose Molina, Sarah Watson, Christine Boyan, and a number of other writers whom I regret I cannot recall at this moment. As these gatherings often do, the subject turned to the topic of breaking into TV writing and working on staff. Unsurprisingly, many people had varying stories, though just about all of them agreed it wasn’t easy.

One point stressed again and again was the need to be the kind of person whom other people want to spend 12 hours a day with. You’re spending five days a week in a writers’ room with maybe a dozen other people. No matter how good a writer you are, if you make that an unpleasant experience, you won’t last long. For a number of showrunners, a key question they ask themselves when considering a new hire is “Can I stand being with this person constantly?” read article

Classic TV Writer Bill Taub Talks About His Career and His Method

And he does it right out in public, on YouTube, thanks to the wonders of a couple of organizations TVWriter™ sometimes feels jealous of: Script Magazine and TV Writer Podcast.Com. (No, sorry, we’re not related.) You really need to check ’em out.)

From Bill’s IMDB listing:

TV Showrunners Share Their Writing Secrets!

A wise and helpful review from one of TVWriter™’s favorite writers who no one over here knows. (Cuz if we did, we’d be recruiting her to work for us.)

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So You Want To Be A TV Writer
by Charlie Jane Anders

The “writers’ room” of a television show is a magical place, where creativity flows and awesome ideas are generated. But how do you keep “the room” happy and focused? Some of the top showrunners, including Joss Whedon, share their secrets in this exclusive excerpt from the book Showrunners. read article