How Not to be a TV Writer
An Introduction
If you’re here, you probably have questions. I will attempt to preemptively answer these questions below. If you find any value in any of this, please consider subscribing.
Who are you?
I’m Jon Stahl. I spent the better part of a decade pursuing a career in TV writing with mixed success, and worked in production before that. I most recently wrote professionally for the animated comedy HouseBroken. Prior to HouseBroken, I worked in the writers’ room of the final two seasons of the HBO show Veep and sitcoms on NBC and Nickelodeon.
I also dabble in UX Design, the startup ecosystem, competitive dog agility, and I help people navigate career pivots with Pivot TV (feel free to join here).
What is this?
How Not to be a TV Writer provides insights to people interested in a career in TV Writing, anyone who has an interest in the rapidly-evolving entertainment industry and people like me who have faced headwinds in their creative careers.
My hope is that this publication will provide actionable guidance to help people find their way through the increasingly competitive and complex landscape of Media & Entertainment.
It will be optimistic (because I’m an optimist) and action-oriented (because I believe in the mantra of “pitch solutions not problems”), but I also don’t plan to sugar coat tough truths, since I consider myself a rationalist.
It will also feature terrible stick figure illustrations (for the visual learners out there).
Why should I listen to you?
I know a lot of people who have had success in film and television: Showrunners, writers, directors, actors… professionals who have successfully climbed the career ladder in entertainment.
I haven’t encountered the same amount of success as these people, but I have learned from my hard-fought successes. But, importantly, I’ve learned even more from my failures.
I’ve trudged across the battlefield. I’ve tripped into the fox holes. I’ve stepped on the landmines. And I’ve learned a thing or two about what it takes to build a career in creative.
What can we expect from HNTBATVW?
That’s the worst acronym on Earth, gonna workshop that.
How Not to be a TV Writer will post regularly on a variety of topics concerning creatives in (or who want to be in) Film & TV. I plan to cover:
Strategies on navigating an entertainment career
Insights into the world of writing for TV & Film (and other mediums you may not have considered yet)
Forward-thinking analysis of the business of show business
Some alternative paths for open-minded creatives
General thoughts on the state of entertainment, Film, TV and New Media
When I say “post regularly” I mean I will try to maintain a cadence of one post every week or two.
Why are you doing this to us?
Look, I want to be here just as much as you do.
The fact is: I’ve got a ton of thoughts rattling around my head and I’m bad at journaling. Plus, in the words of Joan Didion:
“I don’t know what I think until I write it down.”
– Joan Didion, according to Google
So now I’m subjecting you to these thoughts on a semi-regular basis, but only if you’re subscribed, which you can do here:
How do I make it stop?
You can always unsubscribe at the bottom of every HNTBATVW email you receive, but you should know that if you do that, the chip on my shoulder will grow and it will only make me want to make more of these.
So it’s just a bad version of Wait But Why…
Sure, the illustrations are a bit derivative of
. What can I say? I’m a fan of his work (and wish he was more active on Substack). That said, the content will be more bespoke, tailored towards folks interested in creative roles in entertainment. I hope you find some value in it.Thanks for reading, and stay tuned.
Jon