Writers' assistant is a junior role in the television industry, providing clerical support and record keeping for

writers' room A writers' room is a space where writers, usually of a television series, gather to write and refine scripts. It is a common method of writing television series in the US, but is much less widespread in countries like the UK. Composition The ...

meetings and basic office support for writing teams.

Job description

The term "writer's assistant" is somewhat of a misnomer; the person in this position assists the "writing process" more than anything else. Their major job is attending all writer meeting and taking notes making a careful record of what was said, particularly something on the white board or said by the showrunner. After taking notes at the room meetings, the assistant organizes this information, and sends out a 15-20 page email to the writers to provide them with material for their deadlines. Other duties include doing research, pitching ideas, producing web content, read and type scripts, and print and add revisions to scripts. Mundane duties during non-meeting days can include setting schedules, getting coffee, managing email and taking calls. There are generally 6-12 writers for a show, but only one writers' assistant. Necessary skills for this job include multi-tasking, managing time, fast typing speed (or shorthand), and good written communication.

Career objectives

The job entails long hours, low pay and very poor job security, but it is one of the most coveted jobs in the industry. It is described as "the best non-writing job in Hollywood." This position gives the assistant valuable connections in the industry, learning the inside of the business, and a view into the heart of TV writing. It is felt that this is the most direct route to becoming a script writer and then ascending the

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pecking order In the zoological field of ethology, a dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social groups interact, creating a ranking system. Different types o ...

of the writers' room. Conditions improved after a 2021 union negotiated contract increased minimum wages from $16/hour to $26/hour over three years. The need for a living wage was at the center of the dispute with the studios. In the fight over the contract, writers were very supportive of their assistants, acknowledging their importance.

Job security Job security is the probability that an individual will keep their job; a job with a high level of security is such that a person with the job would have a small chance of losing it. Many factors threaten job security: globalization, outsourcing ...

, however, remains a persistent problem.

Notable former writers' assistants

Robin Veith Robin Veith is an American television writer. She served as a writer's assistant on the first season of ''Mad Men'' and co-wrote the final episode of the season "The Wheel" with the series creator Matthew Weiner. Weiner and Veith were nominated f ...

Naomi Ekperigin Naomi Ekperigin is an American stand-up comedian, actress, writer, and producer. She wrote for the Comedy Central sitcom ''Broad City'' from 2015–2016, the NBC sitcom '' Great News'' from 2017–2018, and the Apple TV+ series '' Mythic Quest'' f ...

* Gordon Smith *

Cherry Chevapravatdumrong Cherry Chevapravatdumrong (; born 1977) also known as Cherry Cheva, is an American author, screenwriter, comedian and producer. She was an executive producer of ''Family Guy'' (at one time, its only female writer) and a co-executive producer of ...

* Elisabeth R. Finch *

Tracey Wigfield Tracey Wigfield (born June 19, 1983) is an American comedy writer. She created, produced and appeared in the NBC sitcom '' Great News''. She also developed the Peacock teen sitcom ''Saved by the Bell'', a revival of the original series of the s ...

Chloe Domont Chloe Domont (born September 2, 1987) is an American television and film writer and director, best known for her 2023 film directorial debut, '' Fair Play'', an erotic thriller about gender dynamics in the workplace. Early life and education She ...

Nick Cheuk Nick Cheuk Yick-him (; born 21 October 1987) is a Hong Kong director and screenwriter best known for his directorial debut '' Time Still Turns the Pages'' (2023), which earned him Best New Director in the 60th Golden Horse Awards and Best New ...

References

{{Reflist Screenwriting Television series segments