How to Write a Sitcom

Last Updated: June 30, 2021

3rd Rock From The Sun, Seinfeld, Spaced and Friends can all have the power to make you laugh. As Dick Solomon once said on 3rd Rock From The Sun, "Making someone laugh is like having the power to get into someone's brain and tickle it." To which Harry replied, "I could do that with a drumstick." There are distinct types of sitcoms, but behind the scenes, there is always a script, and scripts don't fall from the sky. They need writers.

Steps

1
Learn the proper formatting techniques if you are planning to make this a professional career. The easiest way to do this is get some software that will format what you type into it appropriately (for example Celtx).^{[1]
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- At the beginning of every scene write where it is, and whether you are indoors or outdoors (Int. = Indoors Ext. = Outdoors). Stage directions are written in blocks of text spanning from the margin on the left to the margin on the right. Text is in blocks at the middle spanning from the centre (imagine the page is split into three equal thirds, you would be writing text in the center). Always have characters' names in capitals except within dialogue.
2
Look around at all the different sitcoms on the air. Look at where they come from. The show's nation usually dictates the comedy used. For example, American comedy is mainly slapstick and what happens to the characters, whereas British comedy is more about what the characters do to each other and fooling the audience. Of course, there are many other styles, so just look around and find an amusing balance.^{[2]
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3
Choose your genre and audience. You can have sci-fi, adventure, or something as simple as the misadventures of two friends (also known as slice-of-life).^{[3]
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4
Plan your characters. Get a notebook and dedicate a page to a character. Explain how they act and behave, how they talk, and most importantly, why. The characters are the basis of your story.^{[4]
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5
Write a basic plot line in your notepad. You will want about 15 to 20 plot points, and this may sound daft, but make sure they are in chronological order. You don't want to write any jokes here as this comes with the script.^{[5]
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6
Start to write the script. Get your laptop, computer, book, anything! Just start writing. Use the format if you're planning on selling this. Type in Courier New, size 12, since this is the industry standard. This is where you put the jokes in. Make them true to your character and to your style. You want to write about 25 pages (the general rule of thumb is one minute per page).
7
Read it thoroughly. Look for character consistency and plot holes. Once you have read that, revise it into the second draft. Always save every draft as a different file. This is so that you can read them all through, and if you think the humour starts to slip somewhere, go back to where it started to slip and revise!
8
Write some more scripts without making any public, and always copyright them. However, you'll want about 5 scripts, at least at first. Do not let anyone but critics and friends see them. This is to build up a small portfolio and avoid plagiarism.
9
Get an agent. Search for some agencies and try to get an agent. Look for an agent with a good history and a nice price. This is where your scripts come in, as the agencies will probably want to read some of your work. If they don't, ditch them.

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Community Q&A

Question

How do I know if it's going to be successful?

Community Answer

You can never be sure. However, watching other famous sitcoms to see what audiences like and what they don't can help you, as long as you don't copy them.
Question

Gravity Falls is NOT a sitcom. Why do people keep saying it is?

Community Answer

It's a mystery cartoon, but it could be classified as a sitcom under the broadest sense of the term. It is a "situational comedy" - funny situations happen and the characters react to them.
Question

How do I create an address for a house in a sitcom without accidentally replicating a real address?

Community Answer

You can use a fake city or state. Family Guy was set in Quahog, Stranger Things was set in Hawkins, Gravity Falls was set in, well, Gravity Falls. All of them are fake addresses.
Question

What topic(s) can I write about?

Community Answer

Sitcoms tend to be about daily life, so get inspiration from your own life and the lives of others around you. Ask yourself, "How can I make this funny?" and take note of funny stories you hear. Also, watching other popular sitcoms can give you ideas too.
Question

How do I come up with a good name for my sitcom?

Community Answer

It may be a little easier to come up with the name later, use a code-name or project name if you really want to name it. Your name should describe your show, not the other way around.

Warnings

Do not let anyone see your uncopyrighted works.

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Do not steal anyone's material, whether jokes, lines, or stories!

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