British Comedy Guide

Inside Track Library

Writing sitcom

Writing sitcom is hard to master... there's lots to think about and learn! Hopefully these articles will help you hone your situations and characters.

Notebook with the words My Plan written in it Writing

5 ways to make storylining easier

  • Friday 5th August 2022

Properly storylining your script before you start writing is essential to completing your first draft successfully.

Generic picture of a happy beach ball Writing

5 more ways to make writing your sitcom easier

  • Saturday 30th July 2022

We have more tips on how to make the process of writing a sitcom easier for yourself. This time: research, learning from existing shows, keeping the scenes moving, and more.

Sitcom Mission 2010: Thunderer Writing

Why you should write a play

  • Tuesday 28th June 2022

Writing a sitcom? Have you thought about staging a play? Working through the drafting process, collaborating with actors, and hearing an audience react will be hugely beneficial to you.

Generic picture of a woman with her thumbs up Writing

5 ways to make writing your sitcom easier

  • Thursday 23rd June 2022

Writing situation comedy is hard. There are, happily, plenty of things you can do to make writing your sitcom easier, giving yourself the best chance of successfully completing a solid first draft.

Generic picture of a blank sheet of A4 paper Writing

Prepping the perfect one pager

  • Friday 27th May 2022

What exactly does a producer mean by "a page", and how do you prepare a document that meets their expectations?

Writing Writing

How to be a great sitcom writer - one sketch at a time

  • Wednesday 25th May 2022

Writer and tutor Dave Cohen makes a very compelling case for practicing short-form writing (sketches) in order to excel in longer-form narrative (sitcom). All the disciplines you need are right there...

Image shows from L to R: Maurice Gran, Laurence Marks Writing

BCG Pro Sessions video: Marks & Gran

  • Thursday 21st April 2022

Sitcom writing legends Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran joined us for our April 2022 BCG Pro Sessions Q&A. You can watch the 65 minute recording of the chat here.

Hitmen. Jamie (Mel Giedroyc). Copyright: Tiger Aspect Productions Writing

Single Camera or Studio Audience?

  • Thursday 14th April 2022

So: you're working on a new sitcom project. You now face a choice: what type of sitcom should your show be? Single camera or studio audience?

Friends. Image shows from L to R: Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer Writing

How to Structure Sitcom Scenes

  • Friday 15th October 2021

Chris Head uses some excerpts from US comedy Friends to highlight the set-up / reveal / escalation / payoff structure of sitcom scenes.

Kirstie Swain Writing

BCG Pro Sessions video: Kirstie Swain

  • Wednesday 13th October 2021

Kirstie Swain joined us on Zoom to answer questions about comedy writing. The chat included advice on forging a career as a writer, the highs and lows of TV development, and more. You can watch the 58 minute recording here.