If you want to write for television, you need a sample: a script that shows you can do the job. For years the standard sample was the spec episode, an unproduced episode of an existing show. Today, most of the industry wants something else. Understanding why helps you choose what to write next.
Two kinds of sample
A spec episode is an episode you write for a show that already exists, using its characters, world, and tone. It demonstrates that you can match another creator's voice, which is exactly what staff writers do.
An original pilot is the first episode of a series you invented. It demonstrates your voice: your characters, your world, your sense of story. Our guide to TV pilots versus features covers how pilots are built.
Why originals now dominate
Over the last decade or so, many showrunners, agents, and managers have come to prefer original pilots as the primary sample. A few reasons are commonly given:
- Voice is what's being hired. Rooms want writers who bring something distinct. An original shows that more clearly than an imitation does.
- Shows change quickly. A spec for a show that's off the air, or that has shifted direction, can feel dated fast.
- Readers know the shows too well. It's hard for a spec to surprise someone who knows every episode of the series.
- An original can sell. A spec episode can't be produced, but an original pilot is a potential project as well as a sample.
When a spec still makes sense
Specs aren't dead. Some fellowships and programs have historically accepted or requested them, so always check current submission rules, which change from year to year. A spec can also be useful as a learning exercise: writing within the constraints of a show you love teaches you structure, act breaks, and voice matching in a way that's hard to get otherwise.
If you write one, choose a show that's currently airing or streaming, well known, and with a clear format. Avoid shows near the end of their run.
What makes either sample strong
The qualities readers look for overlap almost completely:
- A clear hook. What is this episode or series, in a sentence? Your logline matters as much for TV as for features.
- Distinct characters. Each voice recognizable without the name above the dialogue.
- Structure. Clean act breaks, a strong cold open, escalating stakes.
- Professional format. Correct page count for the format and genre, and pages that look like the industry standard.
For a spec, add one more: it must feel exactly like an episode of that show, while still being something the show hasn't done.
For an original, add a different one: the series engine. Readers want to sense that your premise can produce many episodes, not just one.
Building a portfolio
Most working TV writers have more than one sample: perhaps an hour-long drama pilot and a half-hour comedy, or two pilots in the same genre with different voices. Range helps, but depth helps more. Two excellent samples in the genre you want to work in are worth more than four mediocre ones across every genre.
A strong feature script can also serve as a sample for some opportunities, though TV readers usually prefer TV.
How to decide what to write next
Ask yourself three questions:
- What do the programs you're targeting accept? Check each one's current rules.
- Which idea excites you most? Your enthusiasm shows on the page.
- What would your samples look like together? If you already have a drama pilot, a comedy might round you out. If you want to work in drama, a second drama might be stronger.
Format matters in either case
TV scripts have their own conventions: teasers, act outs, and page counts that differ between half-hour and hour-long formats, and between multi-camera and single-camera comedies. Look at produced scripts from the kind of show you're writing and match their shape.
Whatever you choose, the formatting itself shouldn't slow you down. Quillit handles the core screenplay elements automatically, so your energy goes into the parts readers remember: voice, character, and the feeling that you'd be good to have in the room.
