Bend

Writer/producer Lisa Klink, elaborating on Bill Rabkin's great essay on crafting spec scripts, passes along some important advice to aspiring TV writers. Yes, creativity is important. Yes, writing skill is important. Yes, people skills are important. But all of that won't move you forward in the television business unless you possess the most important talent of all: flexibility.

Which isn’t the same as spinelessness. You have to be willing to fight for the key elements which make your script work. You also have to be willing to change or even throw out elements you love if they’re not really crucial. Or affordable. Want to make yourself indispensable to a showrunner? Be the writer who can take any mess of an idea, stupid studio notes or ridiculous budget restrictions and still crank out a gem of a script.

2 thoughts on “Bend”

  1. Very good advice. Another positive is that in this time of financial constraint, newbie writers are cheaper than established ones. Unfortunately, it is my belief that unless you already have a track record, or your uncle is a show runner, good luck trying to break into the business right now.
    Patricia

    Reply
  2. In order to become more flexible, I think a person has to learn how to let go. And there’s a way to practice this — take the bus, sometimes! People have loud voices?? Make cell phone calls?? Sit too close?? Can’t do a thing about it except to let go and bear it with a good grace and make the best of it by focusing on your current project. Besides, it actually feels good sometimes to let go and see what develops!

    Reply

Leave a Comment