WRITING WITH A "BANG"

I'm a pop culture junkie. In particular, I've always loved television. Since I was a child, I've wanted to be involved in the television industry.

Now that I am fully focused on writing, one line of development involves creating a few spec scripts for television shows. Spec scripts are done completely on speculation--hence, the name. There isn't a producer or showrunner asking me to write for a particular series. I'm writing on my own initiative. The idea behind spec writing is that, if it gets in the right hands AND it generates interest, the writer could land an agent or a specific assignment. (Rarely is a spec script purchased and produced.)

Reading about the entertainment biz, I've come across many experts who think writing spec scripts is a waste of time. Others aren't quite so negative, but they're not exactly encouraging either. Still, I know the process is important for me. I can concentrate on dialogue, plots, format and structure while working with established characters.

While at the cottage, I began writing an episode of "The Big Bang Theory". I love the show, the distinct characters and the fast-paced dialogue. What began as a stereotypical, but amusing sitcom about nerds and a hot chick has evolved into often hilarious entertainment, the kind of viewing I welcome on Monday evenings. Since three of the characters are physicists and one was an engineer, there was a fair amount of research required to make the banter between them funny and authentic. I also had to do my homework on "Star Trek", "Battlestar Galactica", iPhone apps, videogames and comic books.

This week I returned to my draft, did a great deal of revising and completed a script for which I feel satisfied. I got goosebumps reading through the scenes because I could hear the actors' voices and see the script being played out. I'll wait a week and then go back to see if another round of revisions is warranted, but the writing feels complete and I'm thrilled with it. The process was a genuine pleasure.

Now I've got to begin a new spec script or return to one of my other writing projects. It feels great to finish something, but there is always more to do!