Start Here If You Want to Be a TV Writer
Three foundational steps every aspiring writer must take
So you want to get into TV writing but you don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’ve been Googling around, lurking on screenwriting Reddits and you’ve found a lot of info but like it’s a lot. Too much even.
Rest assured: I’m here to break it down for you. There are three fundamental things every aspiring writer must do. I mean, there’s probably more but these are three you need to start with.
Brief career recap: I moved to LA eleven years ago with the simple goal of working in television comedy. Two years in, I got my first writers’ assistant gig and then four years later I staffed on my first show. That’s right. It took me six years before I wrote a page of television for money. “Breaking in” takes time but to be honest, I made a lot of mistakes and poor decisions. This article will help you learn from my mistakes.
1. Write sample TV pilots and read everything
You want to be a writer but you need to prove you can do it. Heck, you need to learn how to do it. Writing of any ilk is a craft, which means with practice, dedication, and consistency it can be learned and even mastered.
