Carole Kirschner
@carolekirschner.bsky.social
Director, CBS Writers Program & WGA Showrunner Training Program.
Entertainment Career Coach, Speaker & Author
Once kicked out of girl scouts for telling a dirty joke.
https://linktr.ee/carolekirschner
Entertainment Career Coach, Speaker & Author
Once kicked out of girl scouts for telling a dirty joke.
https://linktr.ee/carolekirschner
Pinned
Hi, I'm Carole Kirschner. I have over 20 years of success helping people break into, and move up the ranks in, the entertainment business! I also run the CBS Diversity Program and the WGA Showrunner Training Program. More about me in this THREAD:
Here's a mistake I see writers make too often: writing a period piece as their first sample. Period pieces are expensive, and unless you're Ryan Murphy or Shonda Rhimes, almost no one is buying them. Write a blazing hot, contemporary, high-concept sample instead. That's what's actually getting made.
November 18, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Here's a mistake I see writers make too often: writing a period piece as their first sample. Period pieces are expensive, and unless you're Ryan Murphy or Shonda Rhimes, almost no one is buying them. Write a blazing hot, contemporary, high-concept sample instead. That's what's actually getting made.
Early career writers: target managers, not agents. In today's industry, agents typically only sign writers who are already working or about to make a sale. Managers are the ones who'll take a chance on emerging talent—but only if your work is truly ready.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
November 17, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Early career writers: target managers, not agents. In today's industry, agents typically only sign writers who are already working or about to make a sale. Managers are the ones who'll take a chance on emerging talent—but only if your work is truly ready.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
Most of the time networking does suck, but it gets a whole lot easier when you think of it as simply connecting with people who share your passion.
Want to chat one-on-one? Explore my coaching services: www.carolekirschner.com/coaching
#scriptsky #filmmaking #screenwriting
Want to chat one-on-one? Explore my coaching services: www.carolekirschner.com/coaching
#scriptsky #filmmaking #screenwriting
November 16, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Most of the time networking does suck, but it gets a whole lot easier when you think of it as simply connecting with people who share your passion.
Want to chat one-on-one? Explore my coaching services: www.carolekirschner.com/coaching
#scriptsky #filmmaking #screenwriting
Want to chat one-on-one? Explore my coaching services: www.carolekirschner.com/coaching
#scriptsky #filmmaking #screenwriting
Great samples have 3 key elements:
- Blazing Hot Work
- High Concept Premise
- Your Voice, and/or Your Story
But, Carole, what do you mean when you say “blazing hot work?” How do I know if my work is “blazing hot?” Great question! 🧵⤵️
- Blazing Hot Work
- High Concept Premise
- Your Voice, and/or Your Story
But, Carole, what do you mean when you say “blazing hot work?” How do I know if my work is “blazing hot?” Great question! 🧵⤵️
November 14, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Great samples have 3 key elements:
- Blazing Hot Work
- High Concept Premise
- Your Voice, and/or Your Story
But, Carole, what do you mean when you say “blazing hot work?” How do I know if my work is “blazing hot?” Great question! 🧵⤵️
- Blazing Hot Work
- High Concept Premise
- Your Voice, and/or Your Story
But, Carole, what do you mean when you say “blazing hot work?” How do I know if my work is “blazing hot?” Great question! 🧵⤵️
The irony of micromanagement: showrunners who try to control everything end up compromising their vision because they're spread too thin. Your creative vision is actually protected when you delegate well and focus your energy where it counts most.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
November 13, 2025 at 5:43 PM
The irony of micromanagement: showrunners who try to control everything end up compromising their vision because they're spread too thin. Your creative vision is actually protected when you delegate well and focus your energy where it counts most.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
For spec scripts, the sweet spot is often shows in season 2-4. Not so new they might get canceled, not so established that every story's been told. You want readers to know the characters well enough to judge your voice capture, but still have room for fresh stories.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
November 12, 2025 at 5:50 PM
For spec scripts, the sweet spot is often shows in season 2-4. Not so new they might get canceled, not so established that every story's been told. You want readers to know the characters well enough to judge your voice capture, but still have room for fresh stories.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
This is a fantastic, inspiring post by Evan Shapiro (@eshap.bsky.social) of Media War & Peace. It's for everyone who's lost a job or is afraid they may. With real-world strategies for next steps. Please read it. You'll feel better if you do.
SO, YOU'VE BEEN LAID OFF...
NOW WHAT?
open.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:21 PM
This is a fantastic, inspiring post by Evan Shapiro (@eshap.bsky.social) of Media War & Peace. It's for everyone who's lost a job or is afraid they may. With real-world strategies for next steps. Please read it. You'll feel better if you do.
First impressions happen in about 2 seconds. In-person: stand tall, eye contact, confident handshake. On Zoom: sit up straight, camera on, well-lit, smiling. Confidence without ego. You want to be memorable for the right reasons, not insufferable for the wrong ones.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
November 11, 2025 at 5:57 PM
First impressions happen in about 2 seconds. In-person: stand tall, eye contact, confident handshake. On Zoom: sit up straight, camera on, well-lit, smiling. Confidence without ego. You want to be memorable for the right reasons, not insufferable for the wrong ones.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
A great pitch is always a performance 🎭
Get The Ultimate Guide to Pitching a TV Show that Sells (for free!): www.carolekirschner.com/pitching-ebook
#ScriptSky #FilmIndustry #WritersNetwork #Filmmaking #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity #WritersLife
Get The Ultimate Guide to Pitching a TV Show that Sells (for free!): www.carolekirschner.com/pitching-ebook
#ScriptSky #FilmIndustry #WritersNetwork #Filmmaking #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity #WritersLife
November 11, 2025 at 12:26 AM
A great pitch is always a performance 🎭
Get The Ultimate Guide to Pitching a TV Show that Sells (for free!): www.carolekirschner.com/pitching-ebook
#ScriptSky #FilmIndustry #WritersNetwork #Filmmaking #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity #WritersLife
Get The Ultimate Guide to Pitching a TV Show that Sells (for free!): www.carolekirschner.com/pitching-ebook
#ScriptSky #FilmIndustry #WritersNetwork #Filmmaking #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity #WritersLife
Query emails to production companies can work as Plan B, but keep them to 7 sentences max. Include: polite opening, killer logline, why you're reaching out to them specifically. That last part matters - it proves this isn't a form letter blast.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
November 10, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Query emails to production companies can work as Plan B, but keep them to 7 sentences max. Include: polite opening, killer logline, why you're reaching out to them specifically. That last part matters - it proves this isn't a form letter blast.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
"I'll celebrate when I finally [sign with a rep/get staffed/sell my show]."
I hear this from writers all the time. And I get it - why pop champagne over Tuesday's five pages when you're still waiting for the big break?
I hear this from writers all the time. And I get it - why pop champagne over Tuesday's five pages when you're still waiting for the big break?
November 7, 2025 at 9:40 PM
"I'll celebrate when I finally [sign with a rep/get staffed/sell my show]."
I hear this from writers all the time. And I get it - why pop champagne over Tuesday's five pages when you're still waiting for the big break?
I hear this from writers all the time. And I get it - why pop champagne over Tuesday's five pages when you're still waiting for the big break?
When you're scrolling social media instead of writing, it's not a discipline problem—it's your brain choosing temporary relief over potential failure. Procrastination feels safer than risking a bad draft. But here's the truth: not writing doesn't protect your identity as a writer. It erodes it.
November 6, 2025 at 6:00 PM
When you're scrolling social media instead of writing, it's not a discipline problem—it's your brain choosing temporary relief over potential failure. Procrastination feels safer than risking a bad draft. But here's the truth: not writing doesn't protect your identity as a writer. It erodes it.
How do you survive when the industry contracts?
Surviving this stretch of uncertainty isn’t just about crossing your fingers and waiting it out — it’s about staying grounded, creatively fulfilled, and honest with yourself about where you are and what you need.
www.carolekirschner.com/blog/how-to-...
Surviving this stretch of uncertainty isn’t just about crossing your fingers and waiting it out — it’s about staying grounded, creatively fulfilled, and honest with yourself about where you are and what you need.
www.carolekirschner.com/blog/how-to-...
How to Survive when the Industry Contracts — Carole Kirschner
Last week a client sat across from me, frustrated and tired. He’d staffed for two seasons — first as a staff writer, then as a story editor — and hadn’t had a single staffing meeting in two years. He ...
www.carolekirschner.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:36 PM
How do you survive when the industry contracts?
Surviving this stretch of uncertainty isn’t just about crossing your fingers and waiting it out — it’s about staying grounded, creatively fulfilled, and honest with yourself about where you are and what you need.
www.carolekirschner.com/blog/how-to-...
Surviving this stretch of uncertainty isn’t just about crossing your fingers and waiting it out — it’s about staying grounded, creatively fulfilled, and honest with yourself about where you are and what you need.
www.carolekirschner.com/blog/how-to-...
You know what separates writers who break in from equally talented writers who don't? A small circle of peers who gave brutally honest notes, celebrated tiny victories, and kept them going when quitting felt easier. Cultivating those relationships deserves as much focus as writing your next script.
November 5, 2025 at 6:14 PM
You know what separates writers who break in from equally talented writers who don't? A small circle of peers who gave brutally honest notes, celebrated tiny victories, and kept them going when quitting felt easier. Cultivating those relationships deserves as much focus as writing your next script.
Reposted by Carole Kirschner
I've always maintained that this job can be the keys to the kingdom if you do it right. I've seen the examples of what's possible in real time. Not just a path to writing, but directing, producing, any job you may wish to have on a TV show.
Showrunner's Assistant is one of the most underrated paths into TV writing. Everyone fixates on Writers' Assistant, but SA roles often offer more career stability month-to-month and direct access to the person making staffing decisions. Don't sleep on this route.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
November 4, 2025 at 8:11 PM
I've always maintained that this job can be the keys to the kingdom if you do it right. I've seen the examples of what's possible in real time. Not just a path to writing, but directing, producing, any job you may wish to have on a TV show.
Reposted by Carole Kirschner
And with staffing shrunk down to a couple of senior writers over zoom, it’s the only way to learn how to produce as well as write.
Showrunner's Assistant is one of the most underrated paths into TV writing. Everyone fixates on Writers' Assistant, but SA roles often offer more career stability month-to-month and direct access to the person making staffing decisions. Don't sleep on this route.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
November 4, 2025 at 6:37 PM
And with staffing shrunk down to a couple of senior writers over zoom, it’s the only way to learn how to produce as well as write.
Showrunner's Assistant is one of the most underrated paths into TV writing. Everyone fixates on Writers' Assistant, but SA roles often offer more career stability month-to-month and direct access to the person making staffing decisions. Don't sleep on this route.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
November 4, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Showrunner's Assistant is one of the most underrated paths into TV writing. Everyone fixates on Writers' Assistant, but SA roles often offer more career stability month-to-month and direct access to the person making staffing decisions. Don't sleep on this route.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
The cover letters that work aren't trying to sound "professional." They're trying to sound like you - just the version of you who respects someone's time. Catchy without trying too hard. Personal without being self-indulgent. That's the balance that actually gets read.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
November 3, 2025 at 6:04 PM
The cover letters that work aren't trying to sound "professional." They're trying to sound like you - just the version of you who respects someone's time. Catchy without trying too hard. Personal without being self-indulgent. That's the balance that actually gets read.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
Remember this when pitching to execs: Tell, don’t sell!
Ready to pitch like a pro? Get The Ultimate Guide to Pitching a TV Show that Sells (for free!): www.carolekirschner.com/pitching-ebook
#ScriptSky #WritersNetwork #Filmmaking #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity #WritersLife
Ready to pitch like a pro? Get The Ultimate Guide to Pitching a TV Show that Sells (for free!): www.carolekirschner.com/pitching-ebook
#ScriptSky #WritersNetwork #Filmmaking #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity #WritersLife
November 1, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Remember this when pitching to execs: Tell, don’t sell!
Ready to pitch like a pro? Get The Ultimate Guide to Pitching a TV Show that Sells (for free!): www.carolekirschner.com/pitching-ebook
#ScriptSky #WritersNetwork #Filmmaking #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity #WritersLife
Ready to pitch like a pro? Get The Ultimate Guide to Pitching a TV Show that Sells (for free!): www.carolekirschner.com/pitching-ebook
#ScriptSky #WritersNetwork #Filmmaking #Screenwriting #WritingCommunity #WritersLife
The secret to finding a manager is often having the right work. If your scripts aren't professional-level yet, focus there first. Your career deserves that foundation.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
October 30, 2025 at 5:20 PM
The secret to finding a manager is often having the right work. If your scripts aren't professional-level yet, focus there first. Your career deserves that foundation.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
"Fine, thanks" followed by awkward silence is how most Hollywood meetings start. But executives meet with ambitious writers all day. What they remember is the person who felt like a real human being, not another perfectly polished pitch.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
October 29, 2025 at 5:08 PM
"Fine, thanks" followed by awkward silence is how most Hollywood meetings start. But executives meet with ambitious writers all day. What they remember is the person who felt like a real human being, not another perfectly polished pitch.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
Here's what I've learned from watching writers at every level panic about deadlines: the ones who try to work 12-hour days to "catch up" usually spend those hours staring at their phone. Two focused hours beats eight anxious ones every time.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
October 28, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Here's what I've learned from watching writers at every level panic about deadlines: the ones who try to work 12-hour days to "catch up" usually spend those hours staring at their phone. Two focused hours beats eight anxious ones every time.
#scriptsky
#scriptsky
The people worth working with in this industry value honesty. Integrity isn't just about being a good person - it's a smart career strategy.
October 27, 2025 at 4:03 PM
The people worth working with in this industry value honesty. Integrity isn't just about being a good person - it's a smart career strategy.
You finally got representation. Your first manager, or even an agent. Congrats! That's huge.
Six months later... they're not really doing anything for you. Calls go unreturned. Weeks pass. No meetings materialize. So what do you do?
Six months later... they're not really doing anything for you. Calls go unreturned. Weeks pass. No meetings materialize. So what do you do?
October 24, 2025 at 6:42 PM
You finally got representation. Your first manager, or even an agent. Congrats! That's huge.
Six months later... they're not really doing anything for you. Calls go unreturned. Weeks pass. No meetings materialize. So what do you do?
Six months later... they're not really doing anything for you. Calls go unreturned. Weeks pass. No meetings materialize. So what do you do?
Pro tip: Don’t pitch your dream show when the exec’s already dreaming of their weekend 😴
Get The Ultimate Guide to Pitching a TV Show That Sells (for free!) and make your next pitch count: www.carolekirschner.com/pitching-ebook
#ScriptSky #WritersNetwork #Filmmaking #Screenwriting #WritersLife
Get The Ultimate Guide to Pitching a TV Show That Sells (for free!) and make your next pitch count: www.carolekirschner.com/pitching-ebook
#ScriptSky #WritersNetwork #Filmmaking #Screenwriting #WritersLife
October 24, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Pro tip: Don’t pitch your dream show when the exec’s already dreaming of their weekend 😴
Get The Ultimate Guide to Pitching a TV Show That Sells (for free!) and make your next pitch count: www.carolekirschner.com/pitching-ebook
#ScriptSky #WritersNetwork #Filmmaking #Screenwriting #WritersLife
Get The Ultimate Guide to Pitching a TV Show That Sells (for free!) and make your next pitch count: www.carolekirschner.com/pitching-ebook
#ScriptSky #WritersNetwork #Filmmaking #Screenwriting #WritersLife