HEAD WRITER

A 'head writer' is a person who is in charge of a television/radio series' writing team. Head writers are usually a part of a soap opera production team, though they are also common on primetime serials.
They conceive the long-term story of a scripted television or radio series, and write the thrusts, outlining their tale approximately a week at a time, along with their Associate Head Writers and the show's producers. A writing team usually hold three meetings a week. Sometimes, there may be a story document for one particular plot, summarizing all of the major beats, but this isn't required for all stories.
The head writer, associate head writers, and the breakdown writers then divide the week's thrust into five episodes by meeting three times a week. The breakdown writers outline an episode, breaking it down into acts and scenes, with a summary of the action. Sometimes a head writer or associate head writer may choose to write a breakdown. Then the script writers take the breakdown and write dialogue for each scene.
Script editors, like Elizabeth Korte, proof-read each completed script and check for continuity errors. From time to time, a script editor can also write breakdown and dialogue scripts on their respective shows like Korte does on ''General Hospital''. A script is not considered completed until the head writer gives final approval.
A television series' writing team can consist of a head writer/co-head writer, associate head writer, breakdown writer, script writer, script/story editor, and a writer's assistant.

Contents

Current American daytime serial head writers

Notable television head writers

Fictional head writers

Writing awards

Current American daytime serial head writers

★ ''The Young and the Restless'': Lynn Marie Latham & Scott Hamner (co-HW) (12/26/06 - Present)

★ ''General Hospital'': Robert Guza, Jr. & Meg Bennett (February 2007 - Present)

★ ''One Life to Live'': Dena Higley (December 2004 - Present) & Ron Carlivati (Being credited as co-HW as of 5/8/07)

★ ''As the World Turns'': Jean Passanante, Leah Laiman & Christopher Whitesell (co-HWs) (5/25/05 - Present)

★ ''Guiding Light'': David Kreizman & Donna M. Swajeski (co-HW) (2004 - Present)

★ ''All My Children'': James Harmon Brown & Barbara Esensten (7/25/07 - Present)

★ ''Passions'': James E. Reilly (7/5/01 - Present)

★ ''The Bold and The Beautiful'': Bradley Bell (1994 - Present)

★ ''Days of Our Lives'': Hogan Sheffer and Meg Kelly (October 2006 - Present)

Notable television head writers

★ Irna Phillips

★ Frank Hursley and Doris Hursley

★ Agnes Nixon

★ William J. Bell

★ Douglas Marland

★ Harding Lemay (Another World)

★ Megan McTavish

★ Bridget and Jerome Dobson

★ Robert Guza, Jr.

★ Henry Slesar (The Edge of Night)

★ Kay Alden

★ Lynn Marie Latham

★ Pat Falken Smith

★ Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives)

★ Jon Stewart (The Daily Show)

★ Norman Stiles

★ Lou Berger

★ Jeff Moss

★ Paul Dooley

★ Alan Silberberg

★ Jim Thurman

★ Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy

★ Boyce Rensberger

★ Harold Ramis

★ Joe Flaherty

★ Dave Thomas

★ Jack Burns

★ Jerry Juhl

★ Tina Fey (Saturday Night Live)

★ Seth Meyers

★ Jules Minton

★ Jeffrey Scott

★ Hank Saroyan

★ Michael Malone

★ Pam Long

★ Claire Labine (Ryan's Hope)

★ David Chase (The Sopranos)

★ Stephen J. Cannell

★ David Milch

★ Steven Bochco (NYPD Blue)

★ Tom Fontana (Oz

★ David E. Kelly (The Brotherhood of Poland, NH)

★ Aaron Sorkin (Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip)

★ Lorraine Broderick

★ Sally Sussman Morina

★ Michael J. Nelson

★ Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

Fictional head writers

★ Matt Albie (''Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip'')

★ Liz Lemon (''30 Rock'')

★ Rob Petrie (''The Dick Van Dyke Show'')

Writing awards

There are several awards for which a head writer can be eligible for. They include:

★ Daytime Emmy Awards

★ Primetime Emmy Awards

★ Writers Guild Of America Award

★ Gemini Award