Harvardwood Writers Competition
ABOUT THE HWC
The Harvardwood Writers Competition (HWC) was founded in 2006 with the aim of recognizing superior work by Harvard writers and giving these talented individuals the opportunity to gain industry exposure. View the list of past HWC winners (2023 winners pictured below).
A review committee, with support from the Harvardwood Board of Directors, will evaluate all scripts entered to determine the winner and runner-up (if applicable) from each category. Results are announced on a rolling basis, strategically, in line with industry trends. HWC judges are working executives and creatives, with a balance of gender, race and other diversity and experience across various fields of entertainment.
HWC submitters can opt to receive judging comments and feedback for each script submitted. The notes are aimed to illuminate judges' reactions to your script (beyond the numerical average of your scores received by semi-finalists and finalists) and may be useful to you for future rewrites.
Winning scripts will be read by a qualified review committee. All winners will receive a mentor and a small cash award.
HOW TO APPLY
Only Full Members of Harvardwood are eligible for the competition (Friends of Harvardwood are ineligible). To become a Full member, non-members can register by clicking here.
2024 Application Link here
Submissions for the contest must be received in PDF format by the submission deadline. Full payment must also be received by the submission deadline.
Neither the applicant's name nor any other identifying information should appear on the title page or any other page of the script — this information should only be included on the entry form.
By applying to the Harvardwood Writers Competition, you affirm that you agree to the terms and conditions of the Harvardwood Writers Competition Release Form.
The entry fees per script will be:
- October 6th, 2023 - early bird $45
- October 27th, 2023- official deadline $55
- November 10th, 2023 - late deadline $75
If you'd like to receive reader feedback and notes, the additional fees (exclusive of the submission fee) are as follows:
- Half-hour pilot / One Act Play: $100
- One-hour pilot: $115
- Feature: $130
Your script must have an anonymous cover sheet in the following format:
Title (if a Pilot, then Title of Show)
"Episode Title" (only applicable for TV Pilots)
Genre: [horror, comedy, drama, suspense, one-hour drama, half-hour comedy, etc.]
Short Logline: [yours here]
State on your cover sheet: "Submitted for evaluation in advance of the Harvardwood Writers Competition and Harvardwood's Most Staffable Writers list. If you have further questions or would like to contact the writer, please email [email protected]."
Each individual may submit no more than TWO SCRIPTS per category.* Repeat entries are allowed, only if the script has been rewritten since it was entered in a previous contest.
All genres are permitted. Scripts should be submitted in PDF format using standard script margins and conventions, and body pages must be numbered. Submissions must be in English.
Submissions must be the original work of the contestant(s), although they may be based on a true story (historical or contemporary) or on other fictional or nonfictional material; if this is the case, please indicate as such on the title page of the script. Entries may also be adapted from the contestant's (or contestants') original work, which should also be noted on the title page.
Collaborative work, undertaken by no more than two writers, is eligible, provided that at least one writing partner is a dues-current Full Member of Harvardwood. Only one entry fee is required per script. Writing partners selected as winners will divide the prize equally.
Entered scripts may not have been previously optioned, sold, or produced (in the case of plays, non-equity readings/productions will not disqualify work from entry). Scripts must be the original work of the author(s), 18 years of age or older. No substitutions of new drafts or corrected pages for script entries will be accepted under any circumstances.
Paid employees of Harvardwood and their immediate families are ineligible, as are competition judges and their immediate families. Harvardwood recommends registering your scripts with the WGA and/or copyrighting your material with the Library of Congress before submission.
PLEASE NOTE: Competition results may be delayed if the writers strike continues into December. Harvardwood is continuously consulting with the WGA to ensure that our protocols are in line with strike rules.
Submission instructions for the 2024 Harvardwood Writers Competition will be announced this Fall.
The HWC features three categories:
-
Feature screenplays (90-120 pages, all genres)
-
Television pilots (half-hour and one-hour, all genres)
-
One-Act play* (40 pages maximum)
*Plays must be in stage play format. The competition no longer accepts short films.
In addition, writers who have participated in the HWP - TV Modules during the preceding fall and spring semesters are eligible for the annual Harvardwood Most Staffable TV Writers list.
HWC SUCCESSES
In recent years, participants in the Harvardwood Writers Program and Competition have seen unprecedented success, with pilot sales to ABC, the CW, Disney+, Jim Henson Company, Netflix, Showtime, Sony, Syfy, and TV Land, in addition to blind script deals at ABC Studios and Warner Bros. Harvardwood writers have been staffed on over two dozen shows, and recent shows include: Almost Paradise (WGN), American Dad (Fox), Animaniacs (Hulu), Awkwafina is Nora From Queens (Comedy Central), Billions (Showtime), Bridgerton (Netflix), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (CW), Emergence (ABC), Family Guy (FOX), Fear the Walking Dead (AMC), The Flash (CW), Future Man (Hulu), The Goldbergs (ABC), Gotham (Fox), Grey's Anatomy (ABC), The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu), Homeland (Showtime), How To Get Away With Murder (ABC), In The Dark (CW), Jane the Virgin (CW), Manhunt: Deadly Games (CBS), Marvel’s Runaways (Hulu), Power (Starz), Queen Sugar (OWN),The Resident (FOX), Shadowhunters (Freeform), and The Society (Netflix). Among our feature film writers, successes include writing for: Marvel Films, Circle of Confusion, Electric Entertainment, and Netflix.
Participants have secured representation at Apostle, Benderspink, Brant Rose Agency, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, CAA, Circle of Confusion, Echo Lake, Gersh, ICM, Madhouse Entertainment, Management 360, Mosaic, Original Artists, UTA, WME, and others.
Previous HWC winners and Most Staffable List writers have been covered by Deadline.
If you have any questions about the Writers Competition, please email us.
The Jeff Sagansky Harvardwood TV Writers Program
The Jeff Sagansky Harvardwood TV Writers Program uses peer review, guest speakers and workshops to foster a motivating and supportive environment for each participant’s writing. This program is currently available in Los Angeles only.
Participants of the TV Writers Program may be considered for the annual Harvardwood Most Staffable TV Writers List (see below).
In recent years, participants in the Harvardwood Writers Program and Competition have seen unprecedented success with pilot sales to ABC, the CW, Showtime, Sony, Spike, Syfy, and TV Land, in addition to blind script deals at ABC Studios and Warner Bros. Harvardwood writers have been staffed on Agent Carter (ABC), American Dad (Fox), Billions (Showtime), Community (NBC), Covert Affairs (USA), Family Guy (FOX), The Flash (CW), Girlfriends’ Guide (Bravo), Goliath (Amazon), The Good Wife (CBS), Gotham (Fox), Great News (NBC), Grey's Anatomy (ABC), How To Get Away With Murder (ABC), Jane the Virgin (CW), Justified (FX), The Newsroom (HBO), Perception (TNT), Power (Starz), Sleepy Hollow (Fox), State of Affairs (NBC), and The Tomorrow People (CW). Among our feature film writers, successes include the theatrical releases of Jamesy Boy and Unfriended, as well as OddLot Entertainment’s optioning of Septillion to One; previous HWC feature category winner Capture is in post production with Circle of Confusion producing. Participants have also secured representation at Apostle, Benderspink, Brant Rose Agency, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, CAA, Circle of Confusion, Echo Lake, Gersh, ICM, Madhouse Entertainment, Management 360, Original Artists, UTA, WME, and others.
Most Staffable TV Writers List
Within the Harvardwood Writers Competition, the top scripts from the Jeff Sagansky TV Writers Program may be selected for the annual Harvardwood's Most Staffable TV Writers list (2016 Deadline article) and sent to managers, agents, networks, studios and production companies. Each of the selected writers may also be paired with an Industry mentor. The Most Staffable List is part of the annual Harvardwood Writers Competition, but only writers of original pilots from the immediately preceding fall and spring HWP — TV Modules will be eligible to be considered. However, spec scripts will not be eligible for submission, and writers who complete only a spec script during the Program will not be eligible for the Most Staffable List. If you would like more information about the Most Staffable List, please review the rules.
If you have any questions, please contact the Program Director. IMPORTANT NOTE: Only Full Members are eligible for the Most Staffable List, the Harvardwood Writers Competition, and any Harvardwood-organized showcase.
***
Special thanks to Harvardwood Advisory Board member Jeff Sagansky AB '74, MBA '76,
whose generous support makes this program possible.
FALL 2023 RULES & REQUIREMENTS
APPLY HERE
Deadline: October 7th, 2023
COMMITMENT
There is a high expectation of preparation and writing done outside of the meetings (approx. 15-20 hours per week). Each module will have approximately eight participants, and will meet for approximately eleven sessions over a fourteen-week period beginning the week of October 16th, 2023. The program has a strict attendance policy, so please make sure that you can fully commit before applying. Participants are required to give constructive feedback to fellow writers in each session, so there is an expectation that you will have read applicable work prior to the meeting. The modules are successful because of this peer review, and you should expect a "writers room" format for your group.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, we will be meeting primarily via Zoom, but participants should be based primarily in Los Angeles for future events, networking, and community-building. Pending interest, we will also accommodate remote (non-LA-based) writers.
MODULE DESCRIPTIONS
1. HOUR-LONG MODULES – ORIGINAL PILOTS
Requirement: Full member of Harvardwood, have written a spec TV episode or TV pilot.
Program fee: $100
Workshop your idea and receive peer review each step of the way: pitch, synopsis, outline, and first draft. This module is structured to help you get feedback when you need it, and produce work that has been vetted and strengthened by your peers. This module may include workshops with professional actors reading your material.
Exact Dates: Meetings will take place nearly every week from October 2023 - early January 2024
Module Leader: TBD
2. HALF-HOUR MODULES – ORIGINAL PILOTS
Requirement: Full member of Harvardwood, have written a spec TV episode or TV pilot.
Program fee: $100
Workshop your idea and receive peer review each step of the way: pitch, synopsis, outline, and first draft. This module is specifically structured for writers of comedy pilots or comedy spec scripts, and will be run like an actual comedy show writers’ room. This module may include workshops with professional actors reading your material.
Exact Dates: Meetings will take place nearly every week from October 2023 - early January 2024
Module Leader: TBD
3. TV PILOT REWRITE MODULE
Requirement: Full member of Harvardwood, have a complete TV pilot to rewrite.
Program fee: $100
This module is structured in three steps: 1) an in-depth peer-review of your script, with special emphasis on the premise and the first act; 2) a live reading of your first act followed by a discussion with industry professionals 3) a second full review of your script, with a focus on the page-by-page execution. This module is for those who are looking for a detailed analysis and polish.
Exact Dates: Meetings will take place nearly every week from October 2023 - early January 2024
Module Leader: TBD
4. SPEC TV EPISODE (Drama & Comedy) - FELLOWSHIP PREP COURSE [TENTATIVE SPRING SEMESTER ONLY]
Requirement: Full member of Harvardwood, have written an original TV pilot.
Program fee: $100
This module is highly structured and designed to prepare participants for the competitive studio writers' fellowships in the late spring (ABC Disney, Warner Bros., etc.). Attendance is mandatory, and only two absences will be allowed. The goal of this module is to have every writer submit a high-quality spec script to the fellowships. As with the fellowships themselves, this is not for brand new writers, but for writers looking to take themselves to the next level. Because at least one of the fellowships requires original material as part of the application process, only writers with a completed original pilot will be considered.
Exact Dates: Meetings will take place nearly every week from October 2023 - early January 2024
Module Leaders: TBD
PANEL DISCUSSIONS & WORKSHOPS
All module participants will be invited to attend panel discussions and stand-alone workshops during the program. Past Program discussions and workshops have included:
Pitching Round Robin - A Workshop with Industry Professionals
All module participants pitch their TV series or spec ideas to guest panelists for expert feedback early in the Program. This workshop is intended to give the writers a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their pilot or spec episode ideas.
Agents and Managers Panel
Moderated discussion with top literary agents and managers. In the past, agencies and management companies including UTA, WME, Paradigm, Benderspink, Echo Lake, and more have been represented.
Staff Writers Panel
Moderated discussion with those new to the trenches of television writers rooms. In the past, we have welcomed writers from Community, The Flash, Jane the Virgin, Parks & Rec, Silicon Valley, and more.
View a partial list of HWP guest speakers.
Features Programs
Expectations for all participants in Harvardwood Writing Programs are as follows:
TIME COMMITMENT FOR ALL GROUPS:
As with all Harvardwood writing groups, there is a high expectation of preparation and writing done outside of the meetings (approx. 15-20 hours per week) as well as a strict attendance policy, so please make sure that you can commit fully before applying. Keep in mind that dual commitments to other writing programs (like the Harvardwood TV Modules) can become very hard to maintain. Participants are required to give constructive feedback to fellow writers in each session, so there is an expectation that you will have read applicable work prior to each meeting. You will be expected to attend the weekly meetings with no more than 2 absences.
GENERAL PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
Prerequisites: Must be a full member of Harvardwood (Friends of Harvardwood are eligible to participate in NYC and Boston Programs).
Each writer should expect to: pitch his or her story to the group; finalize a thorough outline from beginning to end; and turn in pages in predetermined blocks (by act, sequence, or scene, etc). Like previous years, the group will strive for a "writers room" format, and will aim to give focused attention to the projects of 2-3 members every week, thereby staggering group submissions and allowing for better productivity and pacing.
ELIGIBILITY:
- All participants must be Harvardwood Full Members
- All participants must submit the program fee before the first meeting
HARVARDWOOD FEATURE WRITING INTENSIVE (applications currently closed)
Introducing the Harvardwood Feature Writing Intensive Spring 2023
Have you been working on a feature film idea and just can’t seem to get the project off the ground? Or did you start your feature only to find yourself shut down by writers block? Perhaps you even have a draft but feel you need to revisit the project. Introducing the Harvardwood Feature Writing Intensive, where you can work with other Harvardwood members over 10 weeks to get to a strong and completed 1st draft of your script (or a similar milestone of your choosing).
Applications will open on February 6th. Please note – you will need to include the first ten pages of a sample script in PDF format. This can be an excerpt from a pilot, spec script, feature, webisode, short, or stage play.
Deadline for Applications: February 24th, 2023
Notification of acceptance: March 15th, 2023
Modules begin: The week of March 20th, 2023
Meetings will begin in the week of March 20th and run until early June. The number of module groups will depend on enrollment. If accepted, you will meet in the evening once a week for 3 hours, either virtually or in-person or possibly in a hybrid format. There will be between 4-7 other Harvardwood writers in your group.
The goal of this intensive module is to follow a structured program where clear deadlines help meet your goal. Guest speakers will be offered virtually as part of the Intensive and will be scheduled on days outside of the regular meeting sessions. Each group will be led by a facilitator who has either a professional and/or academic background in script writing.
The Features Intensive may also include:
- Table reads of selected scenes from your script
- An opportunity to pitch your feature to managers or agents, once completed.
The Intensive will focus on these key aspects of screenplay development:
- Developing a strong act structure
- Conveying a solid theme or themes
- Creating characters that have depth, agency, and arc
- Building a beat sheet to chart the escalation of conflict
- Strategies for weaving multiple storylines
- Writing realistic dialogue that captures the essence of your characters
- Developing a strong and memorable opening and ending.
Expectations: This Intensive is for those who are serious about writing and are willing to not only work on and present their own projects, but to also review the work of others as part of weekly critiques and discussion.
Who can apply: Full members only. Ideally applicants should be in the greater LA area, but exceptions will be made depending on interest in virtual modules. If you're passionate about this opportunity, we encourage you to apply!
Program fee: If accepted, the fee will be $100 prior to your first meeting.
BOSTON WRITERS PROGRAM (applications open now!)
Strengthen your TV pilot and feature film writing skills in the Boston Harvardwood Writers Program! This group meets Tuesdays at 7:30 pm, twice per month (October to May) on Zoom to workshop scripts by participants. Priority will be given to Boston-area writers; there may be opportunities for in-person gatherings as the program progresses. We welcome Harvard College undergraduates!
We will be hosting an in-person information session at the Harvard Science Center (in the first floor Cafe seating area) on Tuesday, October 3, at 7pm. Come by to meet fellow writers and learn about our workshop!
The workshops will begin on Tuesday, October 24. Applications are due by October 10 and can be submitted using this form.
For questions, feel free to reach out to workshop co-directors Heather Faris and Sarah Zeiser ([email protected]).
Who can apply: Full members and friends of Harvardwood
Program fee: If accepted, the feel will be $80 for the year
Harvard students on financial aid should contact [email protected] for a discounted fee.
NEW YORK FEATURES WRITING GROUP (applications currently closed)
The Fall 2022 module will focus on Feature Screenwriting, and the Spring 2023 module will feature Television Writing. Members of all experience levels are encouraged to apply.
While the goal is to launch in-person groups, we understand that due to COVID some members may be unwilling or unable to meet in person. We’ll be exploring hybrid formats and hope to accommodate everyone who seeks to strengthen the film and television Harvard community in New York. Please fill out our Application to indicate interest in in-person or hybrid.
Who can apply: Full members and friends of Harvardwood
Program fee: If accepted, the fee will be $50 prior to your first meeting.
VIRTUAL FEATURES WRITING GROUP (applications currently closed)
Members of all experience levels are encouraged to apply. This is an online group.
Who can apply: Full members and friends of Harvardwood
Program fee: If accepted, the fee will be $50 prior to your first meeting.
LA FEATURES GROUP (applications currently closed)
The group will meet via Zoom 1-2 times a month with the goal of advancing participants' projects from idea, to outline, to finished, feature-length screenplay. This year, all Harvardwood members are eligible, regardless of location.
Who can apply: Full members only
Program fee: If accepted, the fee will be $50 prior to your first meeting.
Writers' Resources
General
Books on Writing
Blogs, Videos, & Podcasts
Harvardwood Videos
Links to Other Resources
Features
Books on Screenwriting
Programs and Competitions
Television
Books on TV Writing
Loglines
Industry Standards
TV Spec Writing
Pitching
TV Series Bibles
Competitions & Festivals
Diversity Fellowships & Writers' Programs
Browse all book recommendations in our Amazon store below!
General
Books on Writing
- The Artist's Way* by Julia Camon
- The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell
- The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri
- The Now Habit* by Neil A. Fiore
- Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
- On Writing by Stephen King
- Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
- Writing from the Inside Out* by Dennis Palumbo
- The War of Art* by Steven Pressfield
- Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story by Jerry Weissman
Plus a Harvardwood special—book recommendations for writers/directors offered by Paris Barclay !
*Particularly helpful for writer's block and/or procrastination
Purchasing these books on Amazon? Shop AmazonSmile to support Harvardwood!
Blogs, Videos, & Podcasts
- BBC Writers Room Interviews
- Creative Screenwriting (magazine) - Editor Jeff Goldsmith conducts carefully researched and thoughtful interviews with some of today's top Feature and TV writers in front of a live audience.
- Go Into the Story by Scott Myers, official screenwriting blog of The Black List
- On Story - by the Austin Film Festival
- Podcasts by Jen Grisanti Consultancy, Inc. - An outstanding series of interviews with today's working writers. Jen uses her experience as a TV exec and her in-depth knowledge of the industry to ask insightful questions that really bring out the best in her guests.
- Scriptnotes - John August and Craig Mazin discuss screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters, everything from the craft to the business to the best ways to actually get yourself writing.
- WordPlay - Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio's blog, a great series of articles on writing and the industry.
Harvardwood Videos*
Links to Other Resources
- BBC Writer's Lab
- The Black List (founded by Franklin Leonard AB '00)
- Writers Guild of America Resources
- UCB's LA Diversity Program
Features
Books on Screenwriting
- How to Make It in Hollywood by Linda Buzzell
- Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood & Screenwriting by William Goldman
- Screenwriting: The Sequence Approach by Paul Gulino (see Paul's Harvardwood lecture)
- Bambi vs. Godzilla: On the Nature, Purpose, and Practice of the Movie Business by David Mamet
- Good in a Room: How to Sell Yourself (and Your Ideas) and Win Over Any Audience by Stephanie Palmer
Purchasing these books on Amazon? Shop AmazonSmile to support Harvardwood!
Programs and Competitions
- Academy Nicholl Fellowship
- Austin Film Festival
- Film Independent Screenwriting Lab
- Final Draft Big Break Contest
- Harvardwood Writers Competition
- Slamdance Screenplay Competition
- Sundance Screenwriters Lab
- Universal Pictures' Emerging Writers Fellowship
- The Guide to Screenwriting Contests
Screenplays
Television
Books on TV Writing
- Desperate Networks by Bill Carter
- Writing the Television Drama Series by Pam Douglas
- Small Screen, Big Picture: A Writer's Guide to the TV Business by Chad Gervich
- The Hidden Tools of Comedy by Steve Kaplan
- Making a Good Script Great by Linda Seger
- Comedy Writing for Late-Night TV by Joe Toplyn AB '75, MBA '79
- Writing for Episodic Television: From Freelance to Showrunner edited by John Wirth and Jeff Melvoin AB '75
Purchasing these books on Amazon? Shop AmazonSmile to support Harvardwood!
Loglines
- How to Write a Logline by Christopher Lockhart - "I WROTE A 120 PAGE SCRIPT BUT CAN’T WRITE A LOGLINE: THE CONSTRUCTION OF A LOGLINE"
- Writing the TV Spec & Pilot Scripts by Jen Grisanti - How can you write a memorable spec script that helps get you staffed? Why is it so hard to write a TV pilot script that not only gets you noticed, but could sell?
Industry Standards
- WGA Writer & Producer levels / titles
- In order of seniority:
- Executive producer / Showrunner
- Co-executive producer
- Supervising producer
- Coordinating producer (for reality / documentary)
- Producer
- Co-producer
- Consulting producer
- Associate producer (for reality / documentary)
- Segment producer (for reality / documentary)
- Executive Story Editor
- Story Editor
- Staff Writer
- Freelance
TV Spec Writing
- What's Hot & What's Not: Drama 2014 & Comedy 2014
Pitching
- "How to Survive Pilot Season" - The Hollywood Reporter
- Tips from the HWP—TV Modules Program
TV Series Bibles (PDF Downloads)
Competitions & Festivals
Diversity Fellowships & Writers' Programs
- CBS Diversity Institute & Writers Mentoring Program
- Coalition for Asian Pacifics in Entertainment New Writers Fellowship
- Disney | ABC Writing Program
- NALIP Diverse Women in Media Initiative
- National Hispanic Media Coalition TV Writers Program
- NBC Writers on the Verge
- Nickelodeon Writing Program
- Slamdance Screenplay Competition
- Sundance Episode Storytelling Lab
- Sundance Institute | YouTube New Voices Lab
- WB Writers' Workshop
- WhoHaHa TV
View The Black List's Writers Calendar for competition & festival deadlines.
Harvardwood Writers Program
Launched in 2005, the Harvardwood Writers Program (HWP) offers ongoing workshops for film and television writers in LA, New York, Boston, Washington D.C., and more. HWP groups meet regularly to discuss and critique original material and to hear from experienced guest speakers in different fields (see here for a list of previous speakers).
Below, you'll find more information about the TV Writing Modules, Feature Writing Program, and our annual Writers Competition.
In recent years, participants in the Harvardwood Writers Program and Competition have seen unprecedented success with pilot sales to ABC, the CW, Showtime, Sony, Spike, Syfy, and TV Land, in addition to blind script deals at ABC and Warner Bros. Harvardwood writers have been staffed on Agent Carter (ABC), American Dad (Fox), Community (NBC), Covert Affairs (USA), Family Guy (FOX), The Flash (CW), The Good Wife (CBS), Gotham (Fox), How to Get Away with Murder (ABC), Jane the Virgin (CW), Justified (FX), The Newsroom (HBO), Perception (TNT), Sleepy Hollow (Fox), State of Affairs (NBC), and The Tomorrow People (CW). Among our feature film writers, successes include the theatrical releases of Jamesy Boy and Unfriended, as well as OddLot Entertainment’s optioning of Septillion to One; previous HWC feature category winner Capture is in post production with Circle of Confusion producing. Participants have also secured representation at Apostle, Benderspink, Brant Rose Agency, CAA, Circle of Confusion, Echo Lake, Gersh, ICM, Management 360, Original Artists, WME, and others.
Harvardwood is especially proud that our programs are dramatically more diverse in terms of race and gender than the current entertainment landscape, according to the stats in the “2015 Hollywood Diversity Report” conducted by UCLA’s Bunche Center. Please consider donating to the Harvardwood Writers Program, so we can continue to support new, thoughtful and diverse voices in the arts.
Finally—writers, want to connect with one another? Join the Harvardwood Writers' Directory.
Special Competitions
Harvardwood Writers Competition
Held every summer and open to all Harvardwood members worldwide. Each winner receives a cash prize and a one-on-one mentorship with an industry VIP. View past HWC winners!
Most Staffable TV Writers List
Held in conjunction with the Harvardwood Writers Competition and open to participants of the HWP - TV Modules program from the previous fall and spring. View past writers who made the Most Staffable list!
TV & Features Showcases [on hiatus]
Held in late spring and open to members who have completed the HWP Features or TV Modules program the previous fall.
Current Writing Modules
Los Angeles
- FEATURE SCREENWRITING - Contact: Nick Baker
- TV WRITING - Contact: Joey Siara and Todd Bartels
- ACTORS READING WRITERS GROUP
New York
- FEATURE SCREENWRITING - Fall 2021 - Apply Here!
- TV WRITING - [on hiatus]
Boston
- FEATURE SCREENWRITING - Contact: Sarah Zeiser & Heather Faris
PLEASE NOTE: Only Full Members and registered Friends of Harvardwood (on a case-by-case basis) can submit their finished work to the Harvardwood Script Menu and for consideration in the Harvardwood Writers' Showcases each Spring. If you are an Affiliate and wish to upgrade to Full Member status, please click here. If you are new to Harvardwood and wish to join, please register as a Full Member, Affiliate, or Friend of Harvardwood.
As a Full Member, you'll be able to receive the weekly and monthly newsletters, make unlimited postings on the website, view postings in your area(s) of interest, access all other areas of the Harvardwood website, and receive preferred access and free or discounted admission to programs and events.
Previous HWP Speakers
FILM
- Meredith Bagby ’95 (exec, Dreamworks)
- Stacy Cohen ’89 (producer, DREAMER)
- Alex Franklin ’96 (exec, The Weinstein Co)
- Sean O’Keefe ’95 (KING TUT)
- Keir Pearson ’89 (HOTEL RWANDA)
- Peter Rader ’82 (WATERWORLD)
- Jeff Schaffer ’91 (EUROTRIP)
- Josh Simon ’00 (exec, Disney)
- Massy Tadjedin ‘99 (THE JACKET)
- Nicky Weinstock '91 (Red Hour Films)
- Ed Zwick '74 (GLORY, LEGENDS OF THE FALL, THE LAST SAMURAI, BLOOD DIAMOND)
TV DRAMA
- Zadoc Angell (Manager, Echo Lake)
- Neal Baer GSE ’79 (LAW & ORDER: SVU)
- Samuel D. Baum '98 (LIE TO ME, COCKED)
- Peter Blake ’91 (HOUSE)
- Terence Carter (Exec, Fox)
- Carlton Cuse ’81 (LOST)
- Jeff Davis (CRIMINAL MINDS, TEEN WOLF)
- Dawn DeNoon (LAW & ORDER: SVU)
- Grainne Godfree '03 (THE FLASH, LEGENDS OF TOMORROW)
- Mark Goffmann (THE BEAST, WEST WING, SLEEPY HOLLOW)
- Abram Hatch ’96 (exec, Darren Star Prods.)
- Melinda Hsu Taylor (LOST)
- Glenn Kessler ‘92 (RHD/LA)
- Todd A. Kessler ’94 (THE SOPRANOS, PROVIDENCE)
- Jeff Melvoin (EP, ARMY WIVES)
- Adam Perlman '04 (BILLIONS, THE GOOD WIFE, THE NEWSROOM)
- Amy Retzinger ’95 (agent, Gersh)
- Sam Shaw '99 (MANHATTAN)
- Tom Smuts (CLOSE TO HOME)
- Thania St. John (EUREKA)
- Sarah Watson (PARENTHOOD)
- Nicky Weinstock (exec, Apatow, Fox)
TV COMEDY
- Andy Cadiff '77 (Director, Hot in Cleveland, Spin City, Young & Hungry)
- Megan Amram '10 (Writer, Parks & Rec, Silicon Valley)
- Nell Scovell '82 (Writer & Creator/Executive Producer, Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, The Muppets Show)
- Kristin Newman (Writer & Executive Producer, That '70s Show, How I Met Your Mother)
- Colleen McGuinness '99 (Writer & Producer, About a Boy, 30 Rock)
- Carolyn Cassidy ’99 (exec, NBC)
- Vali Chandrasekaran ’03 (MY NAME IS EARL)
- Danny Chun ’03 (THE SIMPSONS, THE OFFICE)
- Jason Gelles ’96 (EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND)
- Aisha Muharrar '06 (PARKS & REC)
- Dan O’Keefe ’90 (THE DREW CAREY SHOW, SEINFELD)
- Mike Reiss ’81 (THE SIMPSONS)
- Patric Verrone '81 (FUTURAMA, Former President of WGA West)
- Matt Warburton ’02 (THE SIMPSONS)
- Adam Fratto (Harvardwood Board)
- Cort Cass (ABC Comedy)
- David Garrett (LIVING WITH FRAN)
- Steve Tompkins '88 (THE SIMPSONS, THE CRITIC, EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND)
- Harris Goldberg (NUMB)
- Allen Zipper (FAMILY TOOLS, GEORGE LOPEZ SHOW)