Welcome to the latest installment of my “Ask the Coach” column on Script Mag! This month, I’m addressing a question about finding a showrunner:

“I have a solid idea for a TV series, but I need help to execute it. Where do I go to ‘meet up’ with a showrunner who’d be open to helping a somewhat ‘newish’ writer?”

This is an intriguing question, though I’m not sure it’s the right question to be asking. Whenever you have an idea for a writing project, I see it as your role to develop and execute it, rather than looking for someone else to do that work for you.

As a newer writer, this means studying and reading TV pilots, taking classes, reading books on TV writing, and developing your concept as fully as you can on your own, before then pitching your concept to production companies, streaming services, or even showrunners. Along the way, you’ll also want to be developing and building relationships into a network of colleagues and industry professionals who might help you along the way, and vice versa.

The other thing to understand is that most showrunners are writers themselves, and in all likelihood, are developing their own shows. This means finding a showrunner who’s free — or willing — to take on your project is, well, tricky.

Since I’m not a television writer myself, I reached out to three TV writers and instructors for their input on first developing an idea and then getting to the stage of finding a showrunner.  [more…]