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I’m sure this has happened in real life. I’m sure it happens in real life all the time. But it does not FEEL real and we have seen it approximately two million times. In short, it’s a cliche.

So what do you do when you feel yourself writing a scene that you’ve seen a million times?

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“Is there any way we can up the stakes in the pilot?”

Friend, they are not saying it, but they are talking about one thing and one thing only: a dead body.

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• ONE-OFF CLASSES

  • Drama for Comedy Writers: Thursday June 18: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: As the number of half-hour shows dwindles, more writers are pivoting into hour-long. This workshop is intended for half-hour writers looking to do an hourlong sample for the first time. What are the differences? What’s similar? We will go through specific script examples and breaks.

  • Be Ready When The Luck Comes: Tuesday, June 23: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: News flash: breaking into the industry is harder than ever and anyone who says they can definitively teach you how to do it is scamming you. This class will walk you through both ways to put yourself in the path of opportunity and how to be ready to capitalize on opportunity when you find it.

  • Crush a Meeting: Thursday, June 25: 3pm-5pm PST/5pm-7pm EST: $200: Contrary to the image of writers…writing, a shockingly high percentage of the job is spent taking meetings. This class will go through best practices for representation, general, and staffing meetings and include some hands-on practice for every participant, as well as personalized notes afterwars.

• COACHING AND NOTES

  • One-On-One Career Coaching: $250

  • One-on-One Pitch Read and Notes: $300

  • One-on-One Pilot Read and Notes: $500

  • One-on-One Feature Read and Notes: $700

• Send your questions to roomsnacks@gmail.com!

Last week, we covered the process of development through to handing in the decision draft. Today, what happens next.

So, you handed in your “final” draft, the script the network/streamer will use as their basis to decide whether or not they order a pilot. When will you hear?

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• ONE-OFF CLASSES

  • Drama for Comedy Writers: Thursday June 18: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: As the number of half-hour shows dwindles, more writers are pivoting into hour-long. This workshop is intended for half-hour writers looking to do an hourlong sample for the first time. What are the differences? What’s similar? We will go through specific script examples and breaks.

  • Be Ready When The Luck Comes: Tuesday, June 23: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: News flash: breaking into the industry is harder than ever and anyone who says they can definitively teach you how to do it is scamming you. This class will walk you through both ways to put yourself in the path of opportunity and how to be ready to capitalize on opportunity when you find it.

  • Crush a Meeting: Thursday, June 25: 3pm-5pm PST/5pm-7pm EST: $200: Contrary to the image of writers…writing, a shockingly high percentage of the job is spent taking meetings. This class will go through best practices for representation, general, and staffing meetings and include some hands-on practice for every participant, as well as personalized notes afterwars.

• COACHING AND NOTES

  • One-On-One Career Coaching: $250

  • One-on-One Pitch Read and Notes: $300

  • One-on-One Pilot Read and Notes: $500

  • One-on-One Feature Read and Notes: $700

• Send your questions to roomsnacks@gmail.com!

Okay, let’s get into it and by it, I mean our step by step development series. Congratulations! Someone bought your pitch! What happens now?

First, you wait. If you didn’t already have an if/come deal with the studio, your deal has to be done and even if your deal is already done, the production company and/or the studio have to do their deal with the buyer. Is this the first time the studio has sold to this buyer? Sorry, it might take months and months and months.

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• ONE-OFF CLASSES

  • Adaptations: Turning IP Into TV: Tuesday, June 2: 3pm-5pm PST/5pm-7pm EST: $150: In this class, students will learn the basics of turning existing intellectual property (books, articles, etc) into television shows - something that as a writer who’s worked on Bridgerton, The Perfect Couple, and Tell Me Lies and pilot adaptations including Happy Place and Bluff, I have ample experience with. We will work as a class to come up with a take on an article I will send out beforehand.

  • Building Pitch Decks in Canva: Thursday, June 4: 3pm-5pm PST/5pm-7pm EST: $150: Many writers pay a lot of money to outsource their pitch decks, but I promise, you can do it yourself! In this class, students will learn how to build a pitch deck in Canva step by step.

  • Drama for Comedy Writers: Thursday June 18: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: As the number of half-hour shows dwindles, more writers are pivoting into hour-long. This workshop is intended for half-hour writers looking to do an hourlong sample for the first time. What are the differences? What’s similar? We will go through specific script examples and breaks.

  • Be Ready When The Luck Comes: Tuesday, June 23: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: News flash: breaking into the industry is harder than ever and anyone who says they can definitively teach you how to do it is scamming you. This class will walk you through both ways to put yourself in the path of opportunity and how to be ready to capitalize on opportunity when you find it.

  • Crush a Meeting: Thursday, June 25: 3pm-5pm PST/5pm-7pm EST: $200: Contrary to the image of writers…writing, a shockingly high percentage of the job is spent taking meetings. This class will go through best practices for representation, general, and staffing meetings and include some hands-on practice for every participant, as well as personalized notes afterwars.

• MULTI-SESSION CLASSES

  • Pilot Boot Camp: From Idea to Finished Script: Monday, June 1/Wednesday, June 3/Monday, June 15/Wednesday, June 17/Monday, June 22/Wednesday, June 24/Monday, July 13/Wednesday, July 15/Monday, July 27/Wednesday, July 29/Monday, August 10/Wednesday, August 12: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $1000: This class, capped at six students, will take you through the basics of pilot writing before moving on to multiple workshops of your own pilot script. Previous students have written scripts that have garnered them representation and placement in fellowship programs. Please make sure you can attend all sessions before registering!

• COACHING AND NOTES

  • One-On-One Career Coaching: $250

  • One-on-One Pitch Read and Notes: $300

  • One-on-One Pilot Read and Notes: $500

  • One-on-One Feature Read and Notes: $700

• Send your questions to roomsnacks@gmail.com!

On to the main event! Last week, we talked about attaching a producer to your pitch.

First: what if this is the off-ramp? Which is to say: what if no producers want to attach? If you truly love this idea, write it as a pilot! I’ve done this twice. Once, I sold it as a spec, once I didn’t, but now I have it as a raunchy hard comedy sample, which does come in handy. If you don’t love the idea in a real way…well, it’s time to put it in your dead projects folder. I, for one, take a lot of pride in my dead projects folder. Every one has taught me something and you’d be surprised how often a germ of an idea from one project finds its true home in another.

But let’s say a producer (or more than one, in which case, you get to choose!) is interested? What happens next?

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• ONE-OFF CLASSES

  • Adaptations: Turning IP Into TV: Tuesday, June 2: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $100: In this class, students will learn the basics of turning existing intellectual property (books, articles, etc) into television shows - something that as a writer who’s worked on Bridgerton, The Perfect Couple, and Tell Me Lies and pilot adaptations including Happy Place and Bluff, I have ample experience with. We will work as a class to come up with a take on an article I will send out beforehand.

  • Building Pitch Decks in Canva: Thursday, June 4: 3pm-5pm PST/5pm-7pm EST: $100: Many writers pay a lot of money to outsource their pitch decks, but I promise, you can do it yourself! In this class, students will learn how to build a pitch deck in Canva step by step.

  • Drama for Comedy Writers: Thursday June 18: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $100: As the number of half-hour shows dwindles, more writers are pivoting into hour-long. This workshop is intended for half-hour writers looking to do an hourlong sample for the first time. What are the differences? What’s similar? We will go through specific script examples and breaks.

  • Be Ready When The Luck Comes: Tuesday, June 23: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $100: News flash: breaking into the industry is harder than ever and anyone who says they can definitively teach you how to do it is scamming you. This class will walk you through both ways to put yourself in the path of opportunity and how to be ready to capitalize on opportunity when you find it.

  • Crush a Meeting: Thursday, June 25: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: Contrary to the image of writers…writing, a shockingly high percentage of the job is spent taking meetings. This class will go through best practices for representation, general, and staffing meetings and include some hands-on practice for every participant, as well as personalized notes afterwars.

• MULTI-SESSION CLASSES

  • Pilot Boot Camp: From Idea to Finished Script: Monday, June 1/Wednesday, June 3/Monday, June 15/Wednesday, June 17/Monday, June 22/Wednesday, June 24/Monday, July 13/Wednesday, July 15/Monday, July 27/Wednesday, July 29/Monday, August 10/Wednesday, August 12: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $950: This class, capped at six students, will take you through the basics of pilot writing before moving on to multiple workshops of your own pilot script. Previous students have written scripts that have garnered them representation and placement in fellowship programs. Please make sure you can attend all sessions before registering!

• COACHING AND NOTES

  • One-On-One Career Coaching: $200

  • One-on-One Pitch Read and Notes: $250

  • One-on-One Pilot Read and Notes: $450

  • One-on-One Feature Read and Notes: $650

• ONE-OFF CLASSES

  • Adaptations: Turning IP Into TV: Tuesday, June 2: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: In this class, students will learn the basics of turning existing intellectual property (books, articles, etc) into television shows - something that as a writer who’s worked on Bridgerton, The Perfect Couple, and Tell Me Lies and pilot adaptations including Happy Place and Bluff, I have ample experience with. We will work as a class to come up with a take on an article I will send out beforehand.

  • Building Pitch Decks in Canva: Thursday, June 4: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: Many writers pay a lot of money to outsource their pitch decks, but I promise, you can do it yourself! In this class, students will learn how to build a pitch deck in Canva step by step.

  • Drama for Comedy Writers: Thursday June 18: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: As the number of half-hour shows dwindles, more writers are pivoting into hour-long. This workshop is intended for half-hour writers looking to do an hourlong sample for the first time. What are the differences? What’s similar? We will go through specific script examples and breaks.

  • Be Ready When The Luck Comes: Tuesday, June 23: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: News flash: breaking into the industry is harder than ever and anyone who says they can definitively teach you how to do it is scamming you. This class will walk you through both ways to put yourself in the path of opportunity and how to be ready to capitalize on opportunity when you find it.

  • Crush a Meeting: Thursday, June 25: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $200: Contrary to the image of writers…writing, a shockingly high percentage of the job is spent taking meetings. This class will go through best practices for representation, general, and staffing meetings and include some hands-on practice for every participant, as well as personalized notes afterwars.

• MULTI-SESSION CLASSES

  • Pilot Boot Camp: From Idea to Finished Script: Monday, June 1/Wednesday, June 3/Monday, June 15/Wednesday, June 17/Monday, June 22/Wednesday, June 24/Monday, July 13/Wednesday, July 15/Monday, July 27/Wednesday, July 29/Monday, August 10/Wednesday, August 12: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $1000: This class, capped at six students, will take you through the basics of pilot writing before moving on to multiple workshops of your own pilot script. Previous students have written scripts that have garnered them representation and placement in fellowship programs. Please make sure you can attend all sessions before registering!

• I also continue to be available for coaching and notes on pitches, pilots, and features.

• Finally, send YOUR questions to roomsnacks@gmail.com!

Okay, so you’ve written your pitch and you’ve sent it to your reps. It’s off your desk! Yay! But not for long because sometime between one day and a few weeks from now, your reps will read it and want to “hop on a call.”1

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• Be Ready When The Luck Comes: Tuesday, May 19: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: News flash: breaking into the industry is harder than ever and anyone who says they can definitively teach you how to do it is scamming you. This class will walk you through both ways to put yourself in the path of opportunity and how to be ready to capitalize on opportunity when you find it.

• Drama for Comedy Writers: Wednesday, May 20: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: As the number of half-hour shows dwindles, more writers are pivoting into hour-long. This workshop is intended for half-hour writers looking to do an hourlong sample for the first time. What are the differences? What’s similar? We will go through specific script examples and breaks.

• Adaptations: Turning IP Into TV: Tuesday, June 2: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: In this class, students will learn the basics of turning existing intellectual property (books, articles, etc) into television shows - something that as a writer who’s worked on Bridgerton, The Perfect Couple, and Tell Me Lies and pilot adaptations including Happy Place and Bluff, I have ample experience with. We will work as a class to come up with a take on an article I will send out beforehand.

• Building Pitch Decks in Canva: Thursday, June 4: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: Many writers pay a lot of money to outsource their pitch decks, but I promise, you can do it yourself! In this class, students will learn how to build a pitch deck in Canva step by step.

• I also continue to be available for coaching and notes on pitches, pilots, and features.

• Finally, send YOUR questions to roomsnacks@gmail.com!

Last week, we talked about whether to tell your reps about your idea (spoiler: probably, but I usually don’t and that’s on being a Taurus). This week, into the actual pitch writing.

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ONE-OFF CLASSES

• Be Ready When The Luck Comes: Tuesday, May 19: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: News flash: breaking into the industry is harder than ever and anyone who says they can definitively teach you how to do it is scamming you. This class will walk you through both ways to put yourself in the path of opportunity and how to be ready to capitalize on opportunity when you find it.

• Drama for Comedy Writers: Wednesday, May 20: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: As the number of half-hour shows dwindles, more writers are pivoting into hour-long. This workshop is intended for half-hour writers looking to do an hourlong sample for the first time. What are the differences? What’s similar? We will go through specific script examples and breaks.

• Writers Room 101: Thursday, May 21: 4pm-7pm PST/7pm-10pm EST: $200: This class, capped at twelve students, will go over the fundamentals of writers room etiquette and best practices and then students will simulate a writers room and break an episode together. Afterward, each student will receive written feedback about their participation in the room.

• Adaptations: Turning IP Into TV: Tuesday, June 2: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: In this class, students will learn the basics of turning existing intellectual property (books, articles, etc) into television shows - something that as a writer who’s worked on Bridgerton, The Perfect Couple, and Tell Me Lies and pilot adaptations including Happy Place and Bluff, I have ample experience with. We will work as a class to come up with a take on an article I will send out beforehand.

• Building Pitch Decks in Canva: Thursday, June 4: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: Many writers pay a lot of money to outsource their pitch decks, but I promise, you can do it yourself! In this class, students will learn how to build a pitch deck in Canva step by step.

MULTI-SESSION CLASSES

• Pilot Boot Camp: From Idea to Finished Script: Monday, June 1/Wednesday, June 3/Monday, June 15/Wednesday, June 17/Monday, June 22/Wednesday, June 24/Monday, July 13/Wednesday, July 15/Monday, July 27/Wednesday, July 29/Monday, August 10/Wednesday, August 12: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $1000: This class, capped at six students, will take you through the basics of pilot writing before moving on to multiple workshops of your own pilot script. Previous students have written scripts that have garnered them representation and placement in fellowship programs. Please make sure you can attend all sessions before registering!

• I also continue to be available for coaching and notes on pitches, pilots, and features.

• Finally, send YOUR questions to roomsnacks@gmail.com!

On to the next one: by popular demand, the next series here is going to be covering every step of development, from the germ of an idea to writing a pitch to pitching to selling to development itself. Today: deciding on what to write!

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• Building Pitch Decks in Canva: Wednesday, May 6 OR Thursday, June 4: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: Many writers pay a lot of money to outsource their pitch decks, but I promise, you can do it yourself! In this class, students will learn how to build a pitch deck in Canva step by step.

• Be Ready When The Luck Comes: Tuesday, May 19: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: News flash: breaking into the industry is harder than ever and anyone who says they can definitively teach you how to do it is scamming you. This class will walk you through both ways to put yourself in the path of opportunity and how to be ready to capitalize on opportunity when you find it.

• Drama for Comedy Writers: Wednesday, May 20: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: As the number of half-hour shows dwindles, more writers are pivoting into hour-long. This workshop is intended for half-hour writers looking to do an hourlong sample for the first time. What are the differences? What’s similar? We will go through specific script examples and breaks.

• Writers Room 101: Thursday, May 21: 4pm-7pm PST/7pm-10pm EST: $200: This class, capped at twelve students, will go over the fundamentals of writers room etiquette and best practices and then students will simulate a writers room and break an episode together. Afterward, each student will receive written feedback about their participation in the room.

• Adaptations: Turning IP Into TV: Tuesday, June 2: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: In this class, students will learn the basics of turning existing intellectual property (books, articles, etc) into television shows - something that as a writer who’s worked on Bridgerton, The Perfect Couple, and Tell Me Lies and pilot adaptations including Happy Place and Bluff, I have ample experience with. We will work as a class to come up with a take on an article I will send out beforehand.

• I also continue to be available for coaching and notes on pitches, pilots, and features.

• Finally, send YOUR questions to roomsnacks@gmail.com!

Today, we’re concluding our series on productivity. I’ve talked about the projects on my current workflow and the systems I use to get stuff done. Today, let’s look at what a work week for me actually looks like.

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• Building Pitch Decks in Canva: Wednesday, May 6 OR Thursday, June 4: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: Many writers pay a lot of money to outsource their pitch decks, but I promise, you can do it yourself! In this class, students will learn how to build a pitch deck in Canva step by step.

• Be Ready When The Luck Comes: Tuesday, May 19: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: News flash: breaking into the industry is harder than ever and anyone who says they can definitively teach you how to do it is scamming you. This class will walk you through both ways to put yourself in the path of opportunity and how to be ready to capitalize on opportunity when you find it.

• Drama for Comedy Writers: Wednesday, May 20: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: As the number of half-hour shows dwindles, more writers are pivoting into hour-long. This workshop is intended for half-hour writers looking to do an hourlong sample for the first time. What are the differences? What’s similar? We will go through specific script examples and breaks.

• Writers Room 101: Thursday, May 21: 4pm-7pm PST/7pm-10pm EST: $200: This class, capped at twelve students, will go over the fundamentals of writers room etiquette and best practices and then students will simulate a writers room and break an episode together. Afterward, each student will receive written feedback about their participation in the room.

• Pitch Boot Camp: Writing TV Pitches That Captivate: Tuesday, April 21: 4pm-7pm PST/7pm-10pm EST AND Monday, May 4: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $500: This first session of this class, capped at 10 students, will be about how to develop a pitch, and the second session will be a pitch clinic, where everyone gets a chance to pitch and get notes. Please do not sign up unless you can make both sessions!

• Adaptations: Turning IP Into TV: Thursday, April 23: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: In this class, students will learn the basics of turning existing intellectual property (books, articles, etc) into television shows - something that as a writer who’s worked on Bridgerton, The Perfect Couple, and Tell Me Lies and pilot adaptations including Happy Place and Bluff, I have ample experience with. We will work as a class to come up with a take on an article I will send out beforehand.

• I also continue to be available for coaching and notes on pitches, pilots, and features.

• Finally, send YOUR questions to roomsnacks@gmail.com!

Okay, on to the main topic. Last week, we talked about the projects on my workflow. This week, I’m going to talk about the tools that actually help me work on them.

I’ll get into the real nitty gritty of my daily schedule next week, but for right now, I’ll say that my typical day involves:

• Working on these 11 projects

• Co-parenting a third grader (which means I’m 100% responsible 50% of the time)

• Getting an exercise class in

• Some amount of my other work (three newsletters, Room Snacks Live!)

• Trying to have some kind of social life

• Keeping my house clean and all creatures inside it fed

• A demanding Bravo viewing schedule

So how do I get it done? With a shit ton of systems.

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• Room Snacks Live is BACK with a spring offering of classes! To wit:

  • Adaptations: Turning IP Into TV: Thursday, April 23: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: In this class, students will learn the basics of turning existing intellectual property (books, articles, etc) into television shows - something that as a writer who’s worked on Bridgerton, The Perfect Couple, and Tell Me Lies and pilot adaptations including Happy Place and Bluff, I have ample experience with. We will work as a class to come up with a take on an article I will send out beforehand.

  • Building Pitch Decks in Canva: Wednesday, May 6: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: Many writers pay a lot of money to outsource their pitch decks, but I promise, you can do it yourself! In this class, students will learn how to build a pitch deck in Canva step by step.

  • Be Ready When The Luck Comes: Tuesday, May 19: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: News flash: breaking into the industry is harder than ever and anyone who says they can definitively teach you how to do it is scamming you. This class will walk you through both ways to put yourself in the path of opportunity and how to be ready to capitalize on opportunity when you find it.

  • Drama for Comedy Writers: Wednesday, May 20: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: As the number of half-hour shows dwindles, more writers are pivoting into hour-long. This workshop is intended for half-hour writers looking to do an hourlong sample for the first time. What are the differences? What’s similar? We will go through specific script examples and breaks.

  • Writers Room 101: Thursday, May 21: 4pm-7pm PST/7pm-10pm EST: $200: This class, capped at twelve students, will go over the fundamentals of writers room etiquette and best practices and then students will simulate a writers room and break an episode together. Afterward, each student will receive written feedback about their participation in the room.

  • Pitch Boot Camp: Writing TV Pitches That Captivate: Tuesday, April 21: 4pm-7pm PST/7pm-10pm EST AND Monday, May 4: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $500: This first session of this class, capped at 10 students, will be about how to develop a pitch, and the second session will be a pitch clinic, where everyone gets a chance to pitch and get notes. Please do not sign up unless you can make both sessions!

• I also continue to be available for coaching and notes on pitches, pilots, and features.

• Finally, send YOUR questions to roomsnacks@gmail.com!

On to the main topic: we’re going to do a very fun and sexy series about time management. I know, but this is, to me, a make or break skill up there with actual writing talent in terms of what it takes to make a career in writing. So over the next few weeks, I’m going to get super granular about how I actually get everything done.

Let’s start by setting the table. As I’ve mentioned, I’m in a rebuilding phase. Both the pilots I had in active development (Happy Place at Netflix and Look What You Made Me Do at NBC) recently died and both shows I worked on last year (Tell Me Lies and Chicken Sisters) aren’t coming back, so for the first time since the strike, I have a fully open slate. I just opened my workflow, and I have ELEVEN projects I’m working on in one capacity or another.

Read more

• Room Snacks Live is BACK with a spring offering of classes! To wit (and read carefully, because by popular demand, another class has been added!):

  • Adaptations: Turning IP Into TV: Thursday, April 23: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: In this class, students will learn the basics of turning existing intellectual property (books, articles, etc) into television shows - something that as a writer who’s worked on Bridgerton, The Perfect Couple, and Tell Me Lies and pilot adaptations including Happy Place and Bluff, I have ample experience with. We will work as a class to come up with a take on an article I will send out beforehand.

  • Building Pitch Decks in Canva: Wednesday, May 6: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: Many writers pay a lot of money to outsource their pitch decks, but I promise, you can do it yourself! In this class, students will learn how to build a pitch deck in Canva step by step.

  • Be Ready When The Luck Comes: Tuesday, May 19: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: News flash: breaking into the industry is harder than ever and anyone who says they can definitively teach you how to do it is scamming you. This class will walk you through both ways to put yourself in the path of opportunity and how to be ready to capitalize on opportunity when you find it.

  • Drama for Comedy Writers: Wednesday, May 20: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: As the number of half-hour shows dwindles, more writers are pivoting into hour-long. This workshop is intended for half-hour writers looking to do an hourlong sample for the first time. What are the differences? What’s similar? We will go through specific script examples and breaks.

  • Writers Room 101: Thursday, May 21: 4pm-7pm PST/7pm-10pm EST: $200: This class, capped at twelve students, will go over the fundamentals of writers room etiquette and best practices and then students will simulate a writers room and break an episode together. Afterward, each student will receive written feedback about their participation in the room.

  • Pitch Boot Camp: Writing TV Pitches That Captivate: Tuesday, April 21: 4pm-7pm PST/7pm-10pm EST AND Monday, May 4: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $500: This first session of this class, capped at 10 students, will be about how to develop a pitch, and the second session will be a pitch clinic, where everyone gets a chance to pitch and get notes. Please do not sign up unless you can make both sessions!

• I also continue to be available for coaching and notes on pitches, pilots, and features.

• Finally, send YOUR questions to roomsnacks@gmail.com!

Okay, on to today’s main programming! We have more questions from brilliant reader Yhane!

How much does one earn selling a pilot?

Read more

ONE-OFF CLASSES

• Adaptations: Turning IP Into TV: Thursday, April 23: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: In this class, students will learn the basics of turning existing intellectual property (books, articles, etc) into television shows - something that as a writer who’s worked on Bridgerton, The Perfect Couple, and Tell Me Lies and pilot adaptations including Happy Place and Bluff, I have ample experience with. We will work as a class to come up with a take on an article I will send out beforehand.

• Building Pitch Decks in Canva: Wednesday, May 6: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: Many writers pay a lot of money to outsource their pitch decks, but I promise, you can do it yourself! In this class, students will learn how to build a pitch deck in Canva step by step.

• Be Ready When The Luck Comes: Tuesday, May 19: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $150: News flash: breaking into the industry is harder than ever and anyone who says they can definitively teach you how to do it is scamming you. That being said, there are plenty of things you can do to open yourself up to opportunities to break in! This class will walk you through both ways to put yourself in the path of opportunity and how to be ready to capitalize on opportunity when you find it.

• Writers Room 101: Thursday, May 21: 4pm-7pm PST/7pm-10pm EST: $200: This class, capped at twelve students, will go over the fundamentals of writers room etiquette and best practices and then students will simulate a writers room and break an episode together. Afterward, each student will receive written feedback about their participation in the room.

MULTI-SESSION CLASSES

• Pitch Boot Camp: Writing TV Pitches That Captivate: Tuesday, April 21: 4pm-7pm PST/7pm-10pm EST AND Monday, May 4: 5pm-7pm PST/8pm-10pm EST: $500: This first session of this class, capped at 10 students, will be about how to develop a pitch, and the second session will be a pitch clinic, where everyone gets a chance to pitch and get notes. Please do not sign up unless you can make both sessions!

ONE-ON-ONE

• One-on-One Career Coaching: $250 for a one-hour session.

• One-on-One Pitch Read and Notes: $300

• One-on-One Pilot Read and Notes: $500

• One-on-One Feature Read and Notes: $700

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Today, I’m back on my bullshit - my semi-regular advice column, Ask a Grizzled Old TV Writer. Today’s are both from a long email from reader Yhane! If you have questions, email them to roomsnacks@gmail.com.

Is selling a pilot a thing that a writer does to “supplement “their writing income? or are there writers who only make their living selling pilots? Also, is selling a pilot its own routine/cycle/season?

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1. It can be very frustrating if they are not delivering what you need them to and holding things up and way more than frustrating if they’re being actively rude or shitty or whatever and also

2. They are doing very hard work under tremendous pressure and we should give them grace.

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