Category: Resources

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

Phoef Sutton – Writer for CHEERS, BOSTON LEGAL, TERRIERS – Speaks!

We’re in awe of this dood’s bio. Yeppers, Phoef is a dood. We think that’s very cool too. Anyway:

phoef-sutton-and-friend

by Daniel S. Boucher

Mini-Bio

Phoef Sutton was born in Washington DC. He cut his eye teeth as a playwright, but first made a living as a writer in TV. He worked on the classic NBC series CHEERS for eight years, and went on to write movies (THE FAN, MRS. WINTERBOURNE) and also serve as consulting producer and writer for BOSTON LEGAL and TERRIERS. He lives in South Pasadena, CA and Vinalhaven ME with his wife and two daughters. read article

LB: Where I Write – Oh, and Why

Glad You Asked Department 6/10/13

question_ditkoAbout a week and a half ago, the lovely and talented Peggy Bechko wrote a blog article that we picked up and re-posted here at TVWriter™ in which answered the oft-asked question, “Where do you write?”

Until I read that, I had no idea that readers/viewers/fans cared where writers did their writing. I mean, I’ve sure never cared where other people write, or eat, or sleep, or have sex, or satisfy any of their other basic needs in life.

And as soon as that reaction equating writing to the basic needs of life sprang into my consciousness I realized that of course I should care about where writers write, and I should share it too. Because if, like me, you’re one of those people for whom writing is an absolute necessity, a primal urge that can’t be contained, you need all the knowledge you can get about how to best, um, satisfy that urge. read article

Leesa Dean: At Last! The Secret of Showbiz Success

goodthingsAdventures of a Web Series Newbie Chapter 17 – Yet Another Offer
by Leesa Dean

So I took the weekend off. Since launching, I’ve been working seven days a week. That’s pretty much what it takes to do this. Especially if you don’t have a team helping. Having some time off was incredible. And relaxing. And necessary.

Played some tennis (I am a tennis fanatic), chilled out with friends, read, mostly stayed off the grid. Mostly. And magically when I started back up on Monday, it felt effortless. Now that there’s only one Chilltown episode left in Season 1 (I’m planning on relaunching the series in a secret special way in the Fall), some of the pressure is definitely off. Which is a bit of a relief. So I’ve officially decided to spend the summer taking weekends off (mostly.) To partially recharge and gear up for the Fall, which I know is going to be INTENSE. I’ll still be working on all the Lele shows and the new projects, which I’m really loving.   But versus putting in about 90 hours a week, I’ll only be doing about 60.

So Tuesday morning, I wake up to another online network offer. And it was BAD. read article

In Their Own Writ: J.J. Abrams on TV Writing

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“I try to push ideas away, and the ones that will not leave me alone are the ones that ultimately end up happening.”

J. J. Abrams

Angelo J. Bell: Pitching Lessons Learned In the Fire

never_give_upby Angelo J. Bell

At yesterday’s pitch to STYLE Network, Ramona and I pulled out all the stops to take advantage of the fact that we had the attention of the show’s execs for 20 minutes.

Shortly into the first pitch for a competition-based fashion reality show I knew in my mind that they were going to pass. I got the vibes. I read their expressions: “PASS”

So we got creative. When they mentioned how a similar show is running into problems maintaining audience interest with models, I spontaneously threw in an idea about using real people, like the US Women’s Olympic Volleyball Team. They liked that idea, but not enough to change their minds. read article