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How to Get a Job Writing for Live TV

So you’ve decided to become a freelance writer. Great! Now, how do you go about landing your first live TV job? Follow our lead and in no time, you’ll be writing for some of television’s top shows.

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

Obviously, there’s a lot to think about when pursuing this career path. Before you begin sending out your résumé, you need to establish the pros and the cons of working for live TV. Let’s examine each stage in turn.

The Good

Working for a major broadcast company like NBC or ABC can be a great way to jump-start your career. You’ll have the opportunity to showcase your writing talents and gain experience while writing for some of the most recognizable shows in the industry. Additionally, you may land a few plum assignments along the way. The pay can be great and the work is usually very interesting.

On the downside, however, this is probably the most difficult route to walk. Going from agency to agency seeking freelance writing gigs can be a tedious process. Furthermore, you’ll likely be required to sign a waiver stating that you won’t disclose your affiliation as a writer for a particular network or production company. Otherwise, the chances of you getting a job are pretty much nil.

The Bad

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have the freelancers who take on any assignment that comes their way. These are the individuals who thrive in the ‘shark-tank’ environment of news reporting and assignment-soliciting. Many of them are actually quite well-known in the industry. However, because their pay is based on performance, there’s a constant fear of burnout. In order to keep themselves refreshed and stimulated, they have to keep churning out high-quality content on a regular basis. This content is usually tailored towards a general audience, which can make it quite dull and uninteresting for a writer who is seeking new and more challenging work.

In addition to this, the workload can be incredible. Just remember, a 24-hour news cycle and an endless stream of online content is always demanding more from your end. In an attempt to meet these demands and keep up with the pace of the industry, many freelancers begin to sacrifice what little bit of integrity they have left. As a result, the work can start to look rather dull and uninspired. This is, of course, unless you are happy with this sort of writing.

The Ugly

Hidden beneath all of this shininess and sparkle is a lot of nasty. Specifically, the freelance writers who put their careers before their employers often end up with ex-employers who don’t want to work with them anymore. Naturally, this can cause a lot of problems when it comes to getting new clients. In addition to this, there’s also the issue of getting paid. Clients may try to avoid paying you because they don’t want to work with former employees. This, of course, creates another problem. In short, it’s a very grim situation to be in.

At the end of the day, working for a major media corporation is a great professional stepping stone. Nevertheless, you’d be wise to seek out additional opportunities as a freelance writer. This way, you can begin to build your own portfolio and prove to potential future employers that you are indeed the best writer for the job.