r/TVWriting

hello all,

i am extremely new to screenwriting and i am currently in the process of (trying) to write a tv series. i am thinking 8-10 episodes but as of right now i am not even halfway done with the pilot.

anyways, i am not sure how to introduce one of our main characters Nicoleta. I want the series to flashback quite a bit. Think of We Were Liars and how they switched between Summer 16 and Summer 17.

In the present Nicoleta is trying to navigate life after her best friend committed suicide. Before Esmerelda (that's the second main character and Nicoleta's best friend) commits suicide Nicoleta is a vivacious and outgoing person and afterwards she is a shell of herself. In the character description should I describe her as depressed and then when we flashback describe her as friendly?

I hope all that made sense.

If anyone is willing to work with me or recommend any good books, podcasts or classes on screenwriting I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

Any feedback on this first draft would be much appreciated! Looking to hear if pacing, jokes, voices, etc., feel smooth and natural.

General log line would be: A new bar owner who refuses to ask for help somehow manages to stay in business thanks entirely to the people he never wanted to ask for help from.

Script: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B0bg18H_B7ye53_NRYF1-ahsJeN9n99k/view?usp=sharing

I'm a poor writer when it comes to pretty much anything, starting the game late and finding it all a bit of a struggle. However, I've noticed that I seem to be slightly better at TV writing than at prose. I think it's something about the dialogue and the fact that scripts require less in the way of description. Is this a common thing? Are there decent TV or play writers out there who have their stats tilted hard into dialogue but are bad at prose? How closely are the two things related? I suppose that's also a roundabout way of asking: just because I'm a crappy short story writer and write bad essays, does that mean I'm doomed also to be a bad TV writer?

Finally, what is the value of reading and writing across genres? If a person wants to write for TV or do feature films, are they likely to gain much by reading novels, say, or should they prioritise watching every TV show under the sun and reading pilots?

Thank you.

TV script, specifically

Starting my first script writing class! After like -- YEARS of trying to talk myself into this craft. Looking to do scifi/comedy.

Wondering what everyone else knows already! Time to get caught up fast.

I've completed an 8 episode series, scifi, action and it's a huge deal to me and I am determined to make it into something. However, the budget it would require is way too big to even try to accomplish, so I'm wondering if there is another way to put the story out there? A podcast, novel, anyone else have an idea? The story is solid I just need some way of getting it out there!

Hii,

I wanted to ask if there's a platform where you can upload your scripts to get feedback on the story. I know you can do that here too, but I was wondering if there's something like AO3 just for scripts?

If I’m working on the show bible and pilot episode with characters and future episode ideas, where do i go once everything is ready? I have no connections as I’m from rural nowhere and am starting college in the fall for film/directing, however something inside of me is saying not to give up and pursue this seriously. I’ve had this idea for 2-3 years now and have had fun just creating but just recently I realized this could actually come true. And something has been nagging me that I need to true and actually do this

According the their FAQ, All Candidates that have advanced to the “Interview Phase” will participate in a video interview with one or more representatives from FRP. The Interview Phase shall conclude on or before July 10, 2026....... so has anyone heard back?? I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Hi, I have been struggling all year to get anyone to respond to me or read my work. I have been reaching out via email to agencies, but I am not getting any responses other than automations.

I’ve initially tried the friendly style of a simple introduction, followed by logline and if they would like me to send my script. I got nothing back so have moved onto more info, but still nothing. Any advice on how to get some management to read this would be great please.

Dear X
I hope you’re well.
I’m a Northern Ireland-based writer seeking representation for TRESPASS, a one-hour prestige crime/family drama pilot set in rural North Yorkshire.

Logline: When a ruthless renewable energy company targets a contested stretch of rural North Yorkshire, two rival farming dynasties — the aristocratic, debt-buried Prestons and the fiercely loyal, criminally entangled McDonaghs — are dragged into a land war where old grudges, buried crimes and violent loyalties threaten to destroy them both.

The pilot recently received a 7 overall on The Black List, with an 8 for Character. The evaluation described it as having HBO/Netflix-style prestige potential and “tremendous legs as a sample.”
Tonally, TRESPASS sits in the space of Yellowstone, Succession and House of Guinness, but through a UK/Irish rural lens: land, legacy, debt, family betrayal, renewable energy, old farming rivalries and corporate aggression.

I have also developed the wider season engine. If you are interested I would love to send on my pilot.

May thanks
X

Hey all,

My one‑hour sci‑fi TV pilot “Project Managers” just received a Silver Award from the International Independent Film Awards, and I thought I’d share the win plus a few takeaways from the process that might be useful.

“Project Managers” is a satirical, biblical‑tinged sci‑fi drama about overworked middle managers tasked with “running” creation like a dysfunctional enterprise software rollout. Think corporate performance review meets cosmic bureaucracy.

A few things that helped this draft finally land:

• I treated every rewrite like a product iteration: one clear hypothesis per draft (eg, “Can I raise the protagonist’s stakes in every act break?”) instead of trying to fix everything at once. And this one is challenging.
• I cut any scene that didn’t either (a) escalate the central conflict or (b) sharpen the show’s specific tone (irreverent but grounded). And it was painful.
• I kept asking, “Why THIS character for THIS job?” until the character’s emotional wound and their “promotion” into cosmic middle management were in direct conflict.

Right now I’m: polishing the bible and the logline, targeting a handful of competitions and fellowships, and reaching out to potential collaborators who resonate with genre TV that mixes satire, mythology, and workplace drama.

If anyone’s interested, I’m happy to:

• Swap pilots for feedback
• Learn how others here decide a pilot is “ready enough” to send to contests vs. holding it back for more rewrites. Where do you draw that line?

Last post, I promise.

Sitcom Studio starts this Thursday, and I have one spot left.

I'm Michael Glouberman, a TV writer/producer who's spent the last 30 years on shows like Malcolm in the Middle, 3rd Rock from the Sun, 2 Broke Girls, and Better Off Ted. Over six weeks, we'll build a professional sitcom pilot outline by focusing on character, relationships, comic engines, and story structure, the same things we've obsessed over in every writers' room I've been lucky enough to work in.

We meet Thursdays at 7:00 PM PT on Zoom. The fee is on $500.

If you're interested or have any questions, send me a DM.

Thanks to everyone who's reached out over the past few weeks. I'm really looking forward to getting started.

Hey everyone! I got my bachelors in screenwriting and I never thought I would write tv, so I mainly focused on film structure. I was wondering if anyone had any free resources I can look into for how to structure tv episodes and how to plan out a tv season based on a pilot script. I’m not new to screenwriting, just new to writing for tv. Any sort of direction helps a lot. Thank you 🙏🏻

Looking for feedback on the query letter itself, not the premise or logline. I've been through several drafts and I think it's close, but I'd rather hear "that phrase would stop me cold" before I send 30 of these.

Hi [Name],

I'm a television writer with credits on Nickelodeon's Pinwheel (part of the Peabody Award-winning series) and Marvel's Spidey Super Stories.

Maiden USA is my original family sci-fi series.

Miss Congeniality meets Resident Alien.

Logline: A teenage girl raised off-world as a warrior must compete in a beauty pageant and become the face of aggressively patriotic Made-in-USA products to save humanity from an alien invasion.

If you're short on time, here's a link to the five-page teaser: [link]

If it resonates, I'd be glad to send the pilot and series materials.

Thank you for your time.

Hey everyone! I’m looking for some genuine advice on next steps because I feel like I’m not sure I’m moving in the right direction.

Here’s where I’m at: I’ve written two full novels and a novella, which I’ve been querying to literary agents for a while. Rather than wait on the book side, I decided to adapt the material myself. I now have a completed series bible and pilot episode for a teen drama series, plus one completed feature film script adapted from the novella. I’m currently working on a second feature.

The novels gave me a strong foundation for the scripts in terms of character and world, but I have no official writing credits. I’ve worked as an actor and have been on a good number of sets, so I understand how production works from that side, but this is my first time presenting myself as a screenwriter.

In terms of connections: I have a few casting directors and acting coaches I’ve worked with over the years. One of them has their own production company and is actively working in TV, and I’ve already reached out to them for guidance. Another has a production company but their slate doesn’t really align with my material, so I’m not sure it makes sense to reach out to them specifically about my work, though I could reach out just for general guidance.

My questions:

1. Do I email the second contact anyway just for industry guidance, even if the material doesn’t fit their slate?

2. Are there any managers or companies people have had success querying cold as a multi-hyphenate writer-actor with completed material but no writing credits?

3. What should I actually be focusing on right now given where I am?

Any honest advice appreciated! I know the industry is tough and I’m not expecting miracles, just trying to make sure I’m putting my energy in the right places! Thanks so much :)

Hi! I am trying to build a portfolio of Script feedback and coverage.

Need some eyes on your work? I’ll provide detailed feedback and coverage on your pilot script free of charge in exchange for a testimonial.

Qualifications: BFA in Screenwriting, 4 years film industry experience + 2 years freelance producing.

Just a reminder that a week from Thursday, July 2, I'll be starting a small Zoom workshop called Sitcom Studio: Write Your Pilot Outline in 6 Weeks, and I still have a few spots available.

I'm Michael Glouberman, a TV writer/producer who's spent the last 30 years working on shows like Malcolm in the Middle, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and 2 Broke Girls. The goal isn't to teach some magic formula. It's to help writers build a professional pilot outline by focusing on character, relationships, comic engines, and story structure, using the same tools I've used in writers' rooms.

We'll meet Thursdays at 7 PM PT for six weeks. Cost is $500.

If you've been meaning to write a pilot, are stuck in the middle of one, or just want some structure and feedback, I'd love to have you.

Happy to answer questions in the comments or via DM.

Hi, I am writing a script about a head writer of a various TV show. I have seen some sources online, but I am wondering if any of you guys have any experience being a head writer. I really just want to know what the job is on a daily basis, also if any of you guys have had experience, I would love to know what the first day of the job was like for you. Thank you!