What should be in my writing portfolio?

The short answer is: the best shit you’ve ever written. Seriously, people are getting staffed off of short stories, one-acts, and *especially* original pilots. The main reason being showrunners are tired of reading Grey’s Anatomy and The Office. A fresh *anything* immediately separates you from the pack. And this is where the “best shit” part comes in – you want this to be the sharpest and most amazing thing on your shelf. Rank them and offer them in that order. For a while, my best hour long spec was an episode of “Gossip Girl”. People rarely asked for it, but I always offered it first because I knew it was better than anything else I had at the time.
(more…)

Which shows to spec (Oct. 2009)

This post is time-sensitive because the answer is obviously a moving target. That said, there are definitely some certainties. One: No one’s gonna read any flavor of Law & Order or CSI at this point – consider them off the air for the purposes of this discussion. Two: Your Office spec had better be on point. Because much more experienced writers have *nailed* this show. And the people reading *your* spec have read those polished gemstones. Three: No major new characters or plot switchbacks. Ideally, your characters are in essentially the same spot at the end that they were in in the beginning. No switching Don Draper’s sexual orientation, for instance. You wanna show you can adopt the show’s voice – not redefine it.

(more…)