Breaking In: Hollywood University

My path to showrunning is essentially unique. I'm not sure that if you want to write/run a television show you should do hundreds of gigs on the road as a stand-up, get a failed sitcom pilot, then spin that into a staff position and spec feature career, all oriented solely 'round your geek identity. I mean, I can help you with some tools in the writing toolbox, but I basically backed my way through the process of building a career.

So I'll heartily recommend Hollywood University, where Jessica Butler -- former producer and newly minted writer -- attempts to run you through the basics of the business and craft. She's got a nice eye for detail, does actual research (as opposed to my anecdotal style) and has already accumulated a wide range of links over a good spectrum of resources. Warren Bell also contributes the occasional article. Considering Warren was running shows when I arrived in Hollywood (in, actually, the office two doors down from mine) that's a good ringer to have.

They've inspired me to fill the holiday schedule with reruns -- just like the networks. A lot of you started coming here years after I began writing about screenwriting. So for the next two weeks, I'm going to repost some of my old screenwriting posts while I recharge for the new year.

I'll start tomorrow with ADAPTATION. Hope you find it amusing. If there's an old post you want to see revisited, or any requests for topics in the new year, throw them into the Comments.