Over the past year, I took a TV writing course as a part of my MFA in Creative Writing through the University of British Columbia. During that course, we studied the art of writing teleplays, and during the course we produced a spec script, and an original pilot spec. A spec script is a TV writer's calling card, as it is what shows the agents and TV execs that you can actually write, and write well. A spec is a script is also based on an existing television show, and the reason for this is that if you can show that you have captured the tone and feel of a show that is not yours, then you can theoretically write for any show.
I don't believe I'll ever be a TV writer, as much as I'd like to be, because family commitments prevent me from trying to climb that ladder. But still, I found I enjoyed writing this form.
What follows is not fan fiction, I want to be clear about that, but is my own original spec script for the show Monk.
TAG
INT. MONK'S APARTMENT - DAY
Monk is packing some of his Trudy memorabilia into a box. Natalie walks in.
NATALIE
What are you doing?
MONK
You were right. Maybe it's time to redecorate a little.
NATALIE
Really? Are you sure?
MONK
Yeah. It's been what, fifteen years? That's Julie's age.
NATALIE
She's eighteen, Mr. Monk.
MONK
Close enough.
He picks one last picture off the ledge, and hesitates for a moment. Natalie takes the picture from him and puts it back.
NATALIE
I think that's enough change for now.
Monk smiles, looking at Trudy's picture.
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