TV Writing

After reading "How to Land Your First TV Writing Job" by Michael Wheaton, I learned many new things about TV writing and how to find success. The article claims that TV (and writing for TV)  is at an all-time high with recent technological developments, making a career in television an ideal one. For those who wish to break into television, the article recommends starting towards the bottom (as a Staff Writer), which may be easier than you'd expect, and working your way up through the system until you are able to produce your own work. The article also points out how TV writing is unique as the writer needs to take into account time limits, commercial breaks, and budgets. The article suggests taking classes that specialize in writing for entertainment, invest in some reference books that offer advice and can help with formatting, reading other scripts and actively watching TV from a writer's perspective, and get scriptwriting software to learn the formatting. The article says that the key to success in any industry is immersing yourself in the craft and making the right connections. As far as spec scripts go, the text says that they can be used as a calling card, a résumé, and a writing sample all in one, and that when writing one it is important to choose a show that fits your writing style and corresponds with a proven show, that you should study the structure, character, plot, and tone of, and lastly, you should write and rewrite your script (and others), taking criticism into consideration each time. In order to become employed as a writer, the article recommends finding an agent, while being wary of scammers, by researching agencies that cater to your style and prestige, as well as searching for new agents who can better support you. In order to gain the support of an agent, a provocative query letter is required, which should be brief, interesting, and hopefully standouts, and learning to write such a letter may take classes, articles, and books dedicated to query letters in the entertainment industry. Lastly, the text recommends getting used to rejection as it is not a rare occurrence and responding in an offensive way can burn unwanted bridges. Overall, I don't think I'd pursue TV writing as a career simply because there are plenty of other professions I'm interested in (like physics, engineering, and business). However, if it came to it, I wouldn't be upset with achieving a career in TV writing as I think I would enjoy writing scripts for TV shows I like.