How does the writing process work for a TV show?
Quite often, individual episodes in a TV series are credited to different writers. How does the selection process work for this? Do the producers have a narrative arc laid out and then writers pitch their scripts, or is it planned out in a more orderly way?
1 Answer
Views • Upvoted by Sean Hood, Professional screenwriter and director (See wikipedia or IMDB). Graduate of USC's School of Cinemat…
Honestly, it depends on the show, and it depends on the era. In prior eras, particularly in the world of TV drama, episode writers would often have far more freedom to deviate from the executive producers' (or showrunners') master plan, often because the master plan was simply, "Produce a bunch of episodes." For a good example of how this style worked, check out the early seasons of The X-Files, where it's much easier to detect autonomous voices for the many writers than it is on most shows today.
At present, though, most shows with multiple writing credits are written in this fashion:
The writers room: Those many names you see listed as producers at the start of an episode? Those are mostly writers, and they get together in a room called the "writers room" and in that room, they craft the episodes you'll see that season. Usually, the "showrunner" (or the executive producers as a team, if the show has both a showrunner and a creative mastermind) has a vague idea of where he or she wants the show to go that season, but that will usually be worked out in the room as well.
Pitching the ideas: All TV episodes begin as tiny kernels of ideas. These are pitched by the writers, and then everybody decides which they like best. If I'm writing for Sitcom X, I might pitch an episode where the two lead characters who hate each other but obviously really love each other get locked in a small room together. I should be fired for this obvious of a plot device, but that's television.
Breaking the story: This is the most important part of the TV writing process, and it often takes the most time. Basically, all of the writers sit in the room and try to come up with the plot of what's going to happen in the episode, making space for the commercial breaks (and "act-outs," which entice you to come back after the break is over), if the show has commercial breaks. They come up with the twists and turns, the character beats, and (on comedies) the jokes. This is pulled together into an outline. Once the network signs off on the outline, it's time for the first draft.
Writing the first draft: This varies from show to show. On most dramas, the writer credited with the script goes off to write the first draft. On most comedies, the entire room writes the first draft together, pitching jokes the whole way, and the credits are often assigned randomly.
Revisions and notes: The network offers notes. The showrunner offers notes. The other writers offer notes. The cast members may offer notes. After this, the original writer may do another draft, or the whole room may do a draft, if that's considered speedier.
The showrunner's pass: Usually, the showrunner does final revisions on the script. These may be extensive -- to the point of rewriting everything -- or they may be minor -- to the point of making sure the dialogue fits the show's "voice." But the showrunner has last call, creatively.
I've greatly oversimplified this. Not every show follows all of these procedures, and some shows are written by small teams (Glee) or one person (Archer). But every show will involve these elements in SOME form. The important thing to remember is that the credited writer may have done a draft or two, but the ultimate voice behind the show is the showrunner, coupled with everyone in the writers room (especially on comedies).
At present, though, most shows with multiple writing credits are written in this fashion:
The writers room: Those many names you see listed as producers at the start of an episode? Those are mostly writers, and they get together in a room called the "writers room" and in that room, they craft the episodes you'll see that season. Usually, the "showrunner" (or the executive producers as a team, if the show has both a showrunner and a creative mastermind) has a vague idea of where he or she wants the show to go that season, but that will usually be worked out in the room as well.
Pitching the ideas: All TV episodes begin as tiny kernels of ideas. These are pitched by the writers, and then everybody decides which they like best. If I'm writing for Sitcom X, I might pitch an episode where the two lead characters who hate each other but obviously really love each other get locked in a small room together. I should be fired for this obvious of a plot device, but that's television.
Breaking the story: This is the most important part of the TV writing process, and it often takes the most time. Basically, all of the writers sit in the room and try to come up with the plot of what's going to happen in the episode, making space for the commercial breaks (and "act-outs," which entice you to come back after the break is over), if the show has commercial breaks. They come up with the twists and turns, the character beats, and (on comedies) the jokes. This is pulled together into an outline. Once the network signs off on the outline, it's time for the first draft.
Writing the first draft: This varies from show to show. On most dramas, the writer credited with the script goes off to write the first draft. On most comedies, the entire room writes the first draft together, pitching jokes the whole way, and the credits are often assigned randomly.
Revisions and notes: The network offers notes. The showrunner offers notes. The other writers offer notes. The cast members may offer notes. After this, the original writer may do another draft, or the whole room may do a draft, if that's considered speedier.
The showrunner's pass: Usually, the showrunner does final revisions on the script. These may be extensive -- to the point of rewriting everything -- or they may be minor -- to the point of making sure the dialogue fits the show's "voice." But the showrunner has last call, creatively.
I've greatly oversimplified this. Not every show follows all of these procedures, and some shows are written by small teams (Glee) or one person (Archer). But every show will involve these elements in SOME form. The important thing to remember is that the credited writer may have done a draft or two, but the ultimate voice behind the show is the showrunner, coupled with everyone in the writers room (especially on comedies).
