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Marshall, Executive Story Editor at Television Writers Room: Advize Career Interview
A career in television writing, as detailed by an Executive Story Editor, is a dynamic journey from production assistant roles on shows like *Homeland* and *Suits* to a collaborative, creative leadership position.
The path emphasizes networking, persistence, and seizing opportunities. Daily work involves brainstorming sessions, script writing and rewriting, and on-set collaboration.
Success requires collaborative skills, adaptability, ego management, and strong communication. While a traditional career ladder exists, alternative entry points like agency or production assistance are equally viable.
Undergraduate students should focus on practical experience, consistent writing, and active participation in critique groups. The greatest reward? Transforming a passion into a fulfilling career where daily work is creatively satisfying.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Marshall Knight
Executive Story Editor
Television Writers Room
UCLA
n/a
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Creative
Honors Student, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Student Athlete
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Career Path of a Staff Writer in a Television Writers Room
Marshall's career path, beginning with a film and television production focus at UCLA, involved a "tough job market" entry point as a writer's production assistant ("essentially a gopher"), progressing through writer's assistant, script coordinator roles on shows like *Homeland* and *Suits*, ultimately leading to a staff writer position and involvement in the *Suits* spinoff. This journey highlights the importance of networking, persistence ("I made myself known"), and seizing opportunities to climb the television writing ladder.
Main Responsibilities of an Executive Story Editor in a Television Writers Room
As an Executive Story Editor on *Suits*, Marshall's role involved "creative problem-solving," navigating the writer's room hierarchy to resolve plot inconsistencies and character issues. This entailed brainstorming, drafting and rewriting scripts, and ultimately overseeing on-set production to ensure the showrunner's vision was realized, a "three-tiered job" encompassing creative, writing, and production phases.
A Day In The Life Of An Executive Story Editor In A Television Writers Room
A typical day for an Executive Story Editor at a television writers room involves "a live brainstorming session" — a collaborative process of "writing scene descriptions on colorful post-it notes and sticking them on the wall and rearranging them until they look like stories"— followed by individual script writing and rewriting with a partner. The role also includes on-set collaboration with directors and cast, ensuring the show's vision is realized, which can involve "crazy hours" of production work.
Most Important Skills For An Executive Story Editor In A Television Writers Room
Marshall, an Executive Story Editor, highlights collaborative brainstorming and "the ability to hold this shifting narrative in your mind" as crucial skills, exceeding the importance of individual writing ability in a television setting. The ability to accept critique, adapt to feedback, and "set your ego aside" are also essential for navigating the collaborative nature of television writing.
Favorite Parts of Being an Executive Story Editor in a Television Writers Room
Marshall most enjoys the collaborative "snowballing effect" of idea generation in the writers' room, finding the daily variety—from collaborative brainstorming to solitary writing, intense one-on-one sessions, and the physical demands of being on set—constantly stimulating.
Biggest Challenges Faced by an Executive Story Editor in a Television Writers Room
Marshall's biggest challenge as an Executive Story Editor is managing ego and prioritizing the show's needs over personal attachment to ideas; the ability to "set aside what's really precious and focus on the big picture" is crucial, as pushing a beloved but ultimately unsuitable concept is "counterproductive".
Favorite Parts of Working in Television as an Executive Story Editor
Marshall, an Executive Story Editor, finds the greatest fulfillment in a career where they "make a living doing the thing that I find very creatively satisfying," transforming a lifelong passion into a profession. This allows Marshall to dedicate their entire workday to writing, eliminating the need to squeeze in creative pursuits outside of work hours, resulting in a deeply satisfying and fortunate career.
What Type of Person Thrives in the TV Writing Industry According to an Executive Story Editor at Television Writers Room
To thrive in the television writing industry, tenacity and passion are paramount; a successful individual must be able to "advocate for yourself" while also possessing strong social skills and a collaborative spirit, demonstrating that "sociability is as important a skill as any of the hard skills."
What An Executive Story Editor In A Television Writers Room Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Television Writing Industry
Marshall, an Executive Story Editor, reflects on the unpredictability of breaking into television writing, advising aspiring writers that "there are many other ways that are just as likely to... break in," emphasizing relationship building and craft development over solely relying on traditional assistant roles and promotions. The traditional "ladder" approach, while valuable, is less reliable in a changing industry with fewer opportunities and shorter show runs, making alternative paths equally important to career success.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Television Writers
Entry-level television positions for undergraduates include writer's assistant, production assistant, and script coordinator roles within the writer's room, although the latter "would be very hard to get right out of school." Alternatively, assisting at agencies, management companies, or with various production executives offers "almost equally viable" pathways into the industry, allowing lateral movement toward writing opportunities.
Significant Career Lesson From an Assistant at Television Writers Room
Marshall, an Executive Story Editor, learned the critical importance of open communication with supervisors from the outset of a job; the interviewee emphasizes the need to explicitly discuss expectations, such as "what your day-to-day job is supposed to look like," to avoid misunderstandings and potential problems, advocating for clarifying even seemingly minor details like call handling protocols and information sharing within a writer's room.
College Experiences That Helped an Executive Story Editor in a TV Writers Room Succeed
Marshall's undergraduate success stemmed less from major choice and more from practical experience, "going to sets of student films and learning all those roles," gaining crucial production knowledge vital for a TV writing career where writers are also producers. Consistent writing practice, coupled with active participation in critique groups honing "creating and critical analysis" skills, proved equally important for career readiness.
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