ive seen alot of sitcom scripts posted by people on here and i was wondering how long each of you spent writing them (from when you got the initial idea)
how long?
I spent six months (off and on) on my first script - not yet posted here.
I've just sent it to BBC Writersroom.
I've seen a few references here to scripts 'returned' by BBC Writersroom. Can people tell me how long they waited before their script came back? I'm afraid I might imagine a long delay is significant.
oh yeah and did you copyright it also
I've done nothing about copyright.
This issue has (no doubt) been discussed many times here. It seems to me that posting your entire work on this forum is as good a way as any to establish copyright. But I haven't really looked into it.
What I used to do in the days of snailmail was to post a copy of my work back to myself as proof that it was the play what I wrote and the copywrite was mine. These days, I guess, the same principle applies when using email.
ahhh i dont want this to turn into a copyright thread, i was just wondering yes or no whether you copyrighted your sitcoms im more interested in how long you spent writing them
I go at it like a steam train for two weeks (hey ladies!) and usually get about 3500 words into the first draft and then I give up. So I don't know how long I would spend on a sitcom 
One day I will finish a script!!
I think the prospect of spending months on something drives me crazy... and then if its good having to write another 5 episodes after that!!!
I spent about 6 months on script before sending it off to The Comedy Unit. It took them 3 months to come back to me which I believe is pretty standard.
Quote: Rosco @ January 5, 2007, 2:24 PMI spent about 6 months on script before sending it off to The Comedy Unit. It took them 3 months to come back to me which I believe is pretty standard.
what was the jist of their response?
THe last One we - my and my writing partner did for BBC Wales took about a month to get the initial thing written, the wait for a reaponse, then do some re-writes, then wait for a reponse, then do some re-writes.....initial idea to broadcast 2yrs 3months.
My first script took around three months to write. I also sent it to the Comedy Unit who took three months to get back to me. They rejected the script but said it showed promise and gave me a lot of useful feedback on how to improve it.
Nowadays, I take around four to six weeks to get a script written. I then put it to one side and come back after a couple of weeks and usually do some rewrites. One of my scripts is currently in development at a production company - so, from initial idea to winning over a production company and hopefully one of the broadcasters...one year, two months and counting.
My most recent sitcom script took me two months (3 drafts) and it's going up to the BBC next roiund of commissioning in the next two weeks. The proposal took two weeks of that time. The fastest 30 minute script I ever wrote was a rewrite of RHODA for Scottish TV which I did in 18 hours. However, my New Year's Resolution is to get my sitcom of the month club up and running and I've promised myself I'll write a new sitcom script every month. (Garry Marshall and Jerry Belson (The Lucy Show, The Odd Couple, The Dick Van Dyke Show) once wrote 26 episodes of different shows in one year.
As someone said on this site the jokes are the easiest bit. You think about these things for hours, maybe days and you don't consider writing anything down until you're ready to go.
Plus I'm a gag writer and I worked for years on weekly sketch shows and probably wrote sixty pages a week.
As regards copyright I always think, let them nick it, I can write another one they can't. Don't let them get away with it though.
Response, though, well there's the problem. You need a sponsoring producer or a star on your side. A script I wrote last year had Nigel Havers attached to it and the response was swift. It was still 'No' but it was swift.
My God! You're THE Charlie Adams! It is an honour to be a member of the same forum as you. I am not worthy!!
Yes, I really do beieve he IS 'THE' Charlie Adams and delighted to say that he really is my new best friend.
Is there room up that backside for one more?
Charlie is a comedy god and deserves kudos for not embarassing the paucity of my / our opinions [delete as applicable] by clobbering us with his monstrously huge experience. Charlie should have a section of the forum dedicated to himself.