It’s been a year since I discovered the Stephen J. Cannell podcast and, frankly, I didn’t think I’d ever find a show that could offer the same amount of nourishment to aspiring TV writers like myself.

I was wrong.

Recently, I discovered the Nerdist Writing Panel podcast and WOW, is it inspiring! They’ve only done a handful so far but the show is wall-to-wall awesomeness for anyone interested in the TV writing process. Listen to writers like Steve Levitan or Jane Espenson talk about how they got started, what it’s like in different rooms, how they tackle technical problems in structure, etc. Basically, questions that no other interviewer is asking are boilerplate on this show.

If you’re reading this blog, you’re in the same business as me, so I imagine nobody has even read this far – that you’re already downloading the first episode.

Enjoy.

One of the most prescient pieces of advice I received was from a showrunner buddy of mine. He said that it was imperative for me to do anything else besides work as an assistant while working towards for a staff writing gig – what he specifically said was, “Go hang cabinets until you get hired. But assistants tend to be seen as assistants…not writers.” This guy’s been a pro for almost twenty years and his resumé is all high-line stuff, so I greatly value his advice.

Which isn’t to say I haven’t interviewed for assistant gigs in the past. The recent past, in fact. But it was probably telling that the last EP I met with kindly turned me down by saying, “You’re a writer – not an assistant”.

So the article I’m linking to at “L.A. Magazine” has special significance for me. I’ll tell you up front – this is a tough read for aspiring scribes like us. But it’s a splash of realism that we could probably all use as a touchstone when considering our futures in the TV business.

Enjoy!

When To Quit? – Los Angeles Magazine

I first heard about the WGA Showrunner Training Program from the sorely-missed podcasters over at Sam & Jim Go To Hollywood – in fact, the “Haven” creators dedicated an entire half hour to the subject after they ended up getting in. Here’s the direct iTunes link.

But it’s always nice to have more than one prism through which to view stuff like this and Deadline Hollywood did an extensive article last August on what goes down during the program. It’s worthwhile reading for anyone – even those of us staring at dozens of rungs between us and even being eligible to participate. Until then, I highly recommend potential (and current) TV writers giving it a read. Enjoy!

Secrets Of TV Showrunners Boot Camp – Deadline.com.

Just like anything that achieves massive popularity, social media sites like Facebook & Twitter have their detractors. Lately, I’ve been hearing more and more writers whining about how you can’t get anything real done without meeting people face to face, making FB/Twitter “a waste of time”.

Try telling that to Chris Masi, aka the new writers assistant at “White Collar”.

See, Chris used Twitter to establish contact with WC showrunner Jeff Eastin and says it was a mixture of good timing, a little online schmoozing, and persistence that got him the gig. It probably didn’t hurt that he says “@JeffEastin is just a cool guy.”

I’ve touched on this in the past and you want to be very VERY careful approaching showrunners through social media channels. I know a lot of high profile writers go stealth on FB for exactly this reason. But tossing a flag up on Twitter to a writer who’s actively engaging his or her fans seems innocent enough. Just don’t go Rupert Pupkin and you should be safe.

I’ll also quickly note that the job Chris got is one of the most coveted positions any TV writer can score without actually being hired onto an actual writing staff. I don’t know about WC specifically, but this job usually leads to a shot at writing on the show down the road. Matthew Weiner at “Mad Men”, for instance, is famous for offering his WA’s just that opportunity. It’s a huge game-changer, in my opinion, that Chris got this without personally knowing someone on staff.

Congratulation, Chris! And good luck.