Over the last decade our approach to watching television shows has changed completely and in the main we are all no invested in streaming services, which has radically reshaped TV watching. Instead of long running sitcoms we are now more interested in hour long marathons and TV shows which are pushing the boundaries of what we think and what we know. The very best TV writers have been part of this change and people like Roger Wolfson have shown their talent in the way that they have been able to evolve in their writing style to fit in with the new audience.
Whilst TV may have changed, and the style of writing may have advanced, the position of a TV writer itself has not, and if you think that you have what it takes, here is what you need to know.
Team Effort
In some rare cases we see TV shows which have been put together by a couple or a group of three, but generally speaking the script itself is concocted by a larger team of people. And so no matter whether you are one of the leading writers of your generation like Roger Wolfson, or a newbie looking to cut their teeth in this world, you will all have to work together in order to deliver the very best result for the good of the show, and that is the only priority.
No Credit
You could have conceived the very best scene of your career, and scripted it perfectly with some of your greatest ever lines, ultimately however you are unlikely to get the adulation which you feel you deserve for it. First off it will be the team which takes the credit, because that’s how it works, and to the public it is usually the actors and the directors who will be recognized for the creation of the scene. Writers who do get the adulation, in the way that Roger Wolfson has in the past, gets it thanks to many years of delivering outstanding work and being recognized for that, rather than a single scene.
Rewarding
What many people don’t tell you is just how rewarding this career choice can be, and what it means for you as an individual when you see your own ideas getting played out on screen. There is nothing that can replace that buzz of having great actors uttering your lines, and this is why so many writers are prepared to put in the work to deliver high quality scripts.
Burning Out
Every writer, even the greats like Roger, will tell you that there comes a time when you just burn out. This stands to reason, scriptwriters are in the writing room each and every day constantly delivering ideas and creativity, and that just cannot last forever. The whole point of having a team is to ensure that when someone is not at it, there will be enough people who are going to be on point to deliver a great show.
This is a fascinating and rewarding career for any budding writer.
