[BOOK REVIEW] The Writers Room Survival Guide by Niceole Levy

Anyone can become a screenwriter, but being a successful screenwriter is not for everyone. In fact, research shows you’re more likely to get hit by lightning while winning the lottery before succeeding as a professional screenwriter. It’s a career, passion or delusional dream that takes dedication, persistence, thick skins, honing and crafting, hard grafting, talent, and luck. 

You can learn your craft, immerse yourself in films and television, write consistently, read produced and unproduced screenplays, develop unique and brilliant concepts, evolve strong characters, network like a demon, shape industry relationships, work your way up from the post room, enter and possibly win writing competitions, and have the grind of Sisyphus and foolhardy zeal of Wile. E. Coyote by never ever giving in. One can have all this and still not achieve a modicum of success.

Yet, despite the litany of obstacles, people do actually make it. Successful writer and the ultra-talented Niceole Levy has worked on multiple shows and films and is now executive producing shows for Netflix. She has also created an effective guide for those writers who have won the golden ticket and managed to enter the hallowed grounds and well-paid realms of a television writer’s room. But all that glitters is certainly not gold. 

In this expertly written (obviously), intelligent, dynamic, and witty work, Levy whips us through the personalities, staff, managers, hierarchy, politics, schedules, production ins and outs, room dos and don’ts, lingo, diversity matters and many more aspects of keeping your job, sanity and maybe even progressing in television. Thus, I really enjoyed Niceole Levy’s inspirational and honest inside look at Hollywood TV production. Especially the descriptions of those monstrous showrunners who should be avoided. Alas, names are withheld, for fear of litigation perhaps.

Ultimately, as an outsider NOT working in Hollywood, I could not fully engage empathetically with certain situations and anecdotes. There were a fair number of useful hints at improving my own writing and standing in the industry. However, there was a heavy leaning toward overcoming internal writing room politics rather than how to resolve creative issues during the making of successful television programmes. Nonetheless there are many entertaining and insightful experiences on record. 

Lastly, the grass is always greener. If you think you’ve made it when you enter the privileged place of TV writer’s rooms, well, think again. According to Niceole Levy you’re either floating or sinking, waving, or drowning. So, get swimming and kick fast because the sharks are circling. Don’t forget to use this essential book as a float board!

Buy the book from here.

Publication from Michael Wiese Productions

Michael Wiese Productions (MWP) was launched in San Francisco in 1976 primarily to produce films. Today, the company is known worldwide having published some 200 books. Some of the bestsellers have been translated into 28 languages, are used in over 1000 film courses, in the Hollywood studios and by emerging filmmakers.

Paul Laight is a screenwriter, filmmaker and blogger. In 2005, he formed Fix Films and has written and produced many shorts and other promos. Many of his films have been screened all over the world at various film festivals. Paul is currently working on feature and short film scripts for future productions. His work can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/c/FixFilmsLtd and here https://thecinemafix.com/