British Comedy Guide
James Cary
James Cary

James Cary

  • 49 years old
  • English
  • Writer and script editor

Press clippings Page 2

The crucial ingredient in writing a sitcom script

Writing is hard. Writing a sitcom is particularly hard. When you tell people this, they tend to nod and agree, but not believe you. The number of script competitions and initiatives suggests that anyone can do it. And everyone can have a go. They can. But should they?

James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 13th June 2022

To write a sitcom, all you need is... love?

You need love. Love is not all you need.

James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 10th June 2022

Your perfect pilot sitcom plot

You've got some characters and a situation. You've got some relationships and some stories. But how do we turn that jumble of jokes and jeopardy into a script? And not just a script, but a pilot script?

James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 11th May 2022

Could I write a sitcom?

Yes you can! Here are four reasons to be cheerful and two to be careful, plus what to do next.

James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 2nd May 2022

Kick start your sitcom script

You've got some characters. And you've got a situation. You've even thought of some jokes. What now? I really want to show you with a practical, hands-on session that should feel a bit like being in a writers' room.

James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 13th April 2022

How to make your sitcom funnier by starting in the middle

Don't start at the beginning which is a terrible place to start.

James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 22nd March 2022

Is your lead character the least funny character in your sitcom script?

Last time, I was fairly robust about why your pilot script should not be the first day at work for your lead character. Another reason to avoid a 'first day at work' pilot plot: all of your other characters are going to be funnier than your passive lead who's wondering the office wondering what they've gotten themselves into.

James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 14th March 2022

The hills are alive with the sound of sitcom...

...or why you shouldn't start your sitcom pilot with your character's first day of work.

James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 9th March 2022

What writers want (apart from from money and coffee)

There's not been a blog all year. And here's the main reason I've been quiet: I've been reading scripts.

James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 2nd March 2022

Why you should not start your sitcom in Iceland

If your sitcom is about an Icelandic chef hitting the big time as a celebrity chef in Paris, and your first episode is entirely in Iceland and she gets on a plane for France at the end of the episode, we still don't really know what the sitcom's actually going to be. Start the show in Paris!

James Cary, Sitcom Geek, 28th October 2021

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