How does one become a TV writer?

It is something I've always wanted to do. But I never thought I was elite enough to get into that great little circle.

The one thing I've heard, don't judge my inaccuracy too harshly, is that the best way is to write teleplays of on air shows. Write a bunch of them.

writeaway said:

Thank you for your reply. You mean a spec script?

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Yes. I only specified on air shows because it won't do you as much good if the show is dead. I've heard they want to see that you can write for their show.

This is like "How do I get to Carnegie Hall?"

The typical path is to write a script that a showrunner reads and loves.

This doesn't have to be a TV script, as TV writers find their way in via a feature length spec script.

Fewer showrunners are looking at spec TV samples anymore. Writing an original pilot script seems to be the way to go.

Then you have to query managers and/or agents and hope someone gets excited about your logline to solicit the script. If they love it, they'll send it around during staffing season and hope it lands you a job on a show.

I've seen people get into TV in all different ways. A dear friend of mine started on the X FILES thanks to his wife slipping his LAW & ORDER spec to a friend of a friend of a friend of Chris Carter. Another friend created THE O.C. and other hit shows after selling a spec feature for 1. 75 million dollars that he wrote in college. My next door neighbor, who was second in command behind Shondra Rhimes on PRIVATE PRACTICE, has her own story. And so on. There are also contests like trackingb.com that are helping to launch TV careers.

While all the stories vary, there seems to be two commonalities: A STRONG SPEC PILOT + ACCESS.

One without the other is useless, so you need to put as much effort into networking as you do writing.

Also, since most TV writing happens in Los Angeles or NY, you need to be local. TV writing is highly competitive. Since there isn't as much work in features, more screenwriters are migrating to television, taking jobs away from start-ups who would've had a better chance 15 years ago.

More "how to" on breaking into TV

I wholeheartedly endorse what CreativeExec has written, and I would add the following:

1. Get noticed by placing high in contests: a big secret of screenwriting contests (I’ve run several) is this: THOUSANDS of writers enter features, but DOZENS enter TV scripts. Enter contests which have half-hour and hour TV competitions. You have a high chance of placing well with a good spec TV script.

2. If you don’t know how to do a TV script, buy the books and take courses. It’s different from feature writing.

3. In the U.S., there are TV pitching seasons. When I was publisher of Creative Screenwriting Magazine, we did a series on how to break into TV. A key step was knowing when TV is making its decisions about the next season. The series was called “Know Your Show.” Times and details have changed, but it‘s still a valuable read. Try contacting creativescreenwriting.com to see if the series is still available on PDF.

4. There are teachers and consultants who specialize in or have special expertise in TV writing. Teachers include Pilar Alessandra, Michael Hauge, Steve Kaplan, Ellen Sandler, Jen Grisanti, Devorah Cutler-Rubenstein, Billy Mernit, and others. For consultants, see my book on the “Best Screenplay Consultants” at screenwritingcommunity.net.

What are the best TV writing books? I’m polling screenwriters on that very question and others right now. You will get my “best of” e-book free if you take the survey at surveymonkey.com/s/screenwritingratings