Shonda Rhimes Teaches Writers How To Write And Pitch TV Shows For $90 [Video]

Shonda Rhimes can be seen in the following video, explaining why Rhimes hates the term “aspiring writer.” To Shonda, that term means that a person keeps looking forward to the day that they become a writer — when some invisible line is crossed that makes them good enough to call themselves a writer. Instead, Shonda explained that if you love to write and were put on this Earth to write, you’re a writer.

Rhimes even encouraged people with five children who think they have no time to write to grab 10 minutes out of each day to write something down. Shonda is preparing to pass along her knowledge in a new writing course that will teach writers the specifics of writing for television. The course is more than five hours long and is coming in the Spring of 2017. The description of the exclusive content that Rhimes will pass along to writers will teach them how to make great television by learning from Shonda’s actual notes that helped her create some of her award-winning TV shows.

“In 5+ hours of video lessons, Shonda teaches you her playbook for writing and creating hit television. Get Shonda’s story bibles, pilot scripts and Grey’s Anatomy pitch notes. Pre-enroll for early access. When Shonda Rhimes pitched Grey’s Anatomy she was so nervous she had to start over, twice. Since then Shonda has created and produced television’s biggest hits. In this class, Shonda teaches you how to create compelling characters, write a pilot, pitch your idea, be a showrunner, and build your career. You’ll also get her pilot scripts, pitch notes, and story bibles. Welcome to Shondaland.”

On the Master Class website in Shonda’s section, more details are given about the coming writing course. The more than five-hour course will include lessons on getting the hit TV show that’s in your head hopefully onto the small screen by writing it in the format that’s expected from TV executives. There will be lessons about pitching the TV show as well.

Rhimes’ course will include a class workbook that can be downloaded, along with summaries for the lessons learned — along with addendums to the materials. The coup de grace for the course includes “office hours” with the class — and potential personal feedback from Shonda herself.

?”Upload videos to get feedback from the class. Shonda will also respond to select student questions.”

With the potential of Rhimes responding to certain student questions, there seems to be a possibility that some fortunate writer could get a shot at getting exposed to the TV show deal potential that Shonda holds. For example, if one of Shonda’s students were able to ask Rhimes the pitch-related questions regarding new TV show ideas and Shonda ended up loving the ideas herself, perhaps that writer could take a whirl on one of those fun rides in Shondaland, as seen at the end of Scandal and other shows created by Rhimes, with that “Woo hoo!” voice accompanying the ride.

“What do you think of a one-hour TV drama that exposes the inner workings of a local gym and the high-stakes world of fitness competitions?”

Either way, Shonda’s course offers full refunds to writers up to 30 days after spending $90 for the course. Apparently, the class for writers will be a set of video courses, since the website states that “your class will play in any modern browser.” Also, the course never expires, giving students the time to take the writing class at their own pace — as adapted to their own schedules.

Shonda can be seen in the top photo above holding her Founders Award on November 21, in New York.

[Featured Image by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Images]