Mini-Rooms Are Writers' Rooms. Period.

When it comes to working in advance of production or series pickup, negotiating the right contract terms is key.

As shorter episode orders have become more common, so too have what the studios and networks call "mini-rooms," where groups of writers are gathered in advance of the production of a television series to break stories and write scripts. Writing in advance of production or before series pickup can present issues in terms of how to structure your contract, including appropriate compensation. Here are some guidelines for negotiating contracts for mini-room work for all TV writers—from staff writer to showrunner. Read more >>

Tales from the Trenches

Showrunners talk running writers’ rooms during the pandemic.

As people worldwide hunker down at home and grapple with some level of social distancing to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the show must go on. But how? For writers, just like everyone, that is uncharted territory. How, for example, do you write a new season of an existing television series amid the isolation and fear of COVID-19? Read more >>

To Zoom or Not to Zoom

Writers have flocked to Zoom to keep writers' rooms going during the COVID-19 pandemic, but is the popular video conferencing app secure enough to be trusted?

When social distancing restrictions were enacted last month in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, writers, along with millions of others, added a new verb to their everyday vocabulary: to Zoom. The popular video conferencing app has become a favorite of TV-digital writers as they endeavor to keep writers’ rooms going during the pandemic. Zoom’s ease of use and collaborative features, like whiteboards and annotation, make it ideal for creative virtual meetings. Read more >>

Showrunners, Executives to Talk One-on-One with Writers at WGAW Inclusion and Equity Department's Virtual Meet-and-Greets

Though network and studio offices are closed around town, the Guild continues to provide access to employment opportunities for historically underrepresented members.

When the Guild made the decision in mid-March to suspend most non-essential Guild events and meetings to help curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, the Inclusion and Equity Department had to rethink how it offers access to employment opportunities for members who have been historically underrepresented, including writers who are Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American & Indigenous, African-American, Latino, women, over 40, LGBTQ+, or disabled. Read more >>

Written By and 3rd & Fairfax Podcast Serve Binge-able Content During Pandemic

Looking for must-see TV to add to your queue? Learn how creator Dave Holstein makes Kidding on Showtime exactly like nothing else on television, only in Written By's exclusive on-set Web Extra feature. Read more >>

Coping with COVID-19

Reminder for upcoming webinars hosted by EDD and Hollywood, Health & Society.

Hollywood, Health & Society, in partnership with the WGAW and WGAE, continues its series of panel discussions—hosted via Zoom—on a variety of issues related to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Read more >>