Summary of Shonda Rhimes’ Masterclass on Writing for Television

16 key takeaways from the writer and producer of Grey’s Anatomy

masterclass.com

1. Know your television history. Look through similar shows that have been created. Understand why they succeeded or failed. Observe how the show changed over time. Identify key drivers, themes, and trends.
2. Deconstruct an existing show. The best way to learn how to write one. Watch the entire debut season. Notice how characters are introduced, episodes are structured, plot elements are unfolded over the season.
3. Endless ideas everywhere. Ideas are all around you, you just have to heighten your awareness to tune into them. A good idea for a TV show is one where you can’t easily picture an ending, but rather hundreds of possibilities for hundreds of episodes.
4. Develop ideas into a premise. Record ideas as they come to you, then whittle down the list to the best one. Clearly specify the details of this idea in a few sentences. Make sure it is easily understandable and memorable by others. This becomes your premise.
5. Enter with fresh eyes. When doing interviews for research, leave your preconceived notions at the door. Enter their world, from their perspective, as if for the first time. Go deep into the details. The details are what will help you develop your characters and plot.