I’ve been a professional TV writer and showrunner for 28 years. In addition to selling a dozen pilots and two features, I’ve written on King of the Hill, Beavis & Butt-Head, Just Shoot Me, Wilfred, Maron, Rules of Engagement, Out of Practice, Brickleberry, Glenn Martin DDS, Rhett & Link’s Buddy System, Lopez, and Tacoma FD.
I started publishing on Substack because teaching craft keeps me honest. It helps me crystalize my thoughts on writing, forcing me to tell stories the way they need to be told.
The tips I share here come directly from the job — advice I learned in the writers’ room, table reads that failed, drafts that didn’t survive, and notes that lead me astray. It’s practical advice because if you want to get paid for your writing, you have to treat it as a job.
But sharing tips about craft has never been my goal here.
I write about craft as part of the work, not the work itself.
The work itself is A Paper Orchestra. It’s my collection of personal essays — pieces about identity, shame, redemption and the moments of our lives that shape us most.
To be honest, I don’t want to be seen as a writing guru.
I want to be seen as an artist.
I share how I write stories. If you like my writing, maybe I can help you. If you don’t, then I probably can’t. That’s why I always advise people to read me first before listening to a word I say.
Sharing my writing tips does serve a purpose for me. It’s how most of my readers initially learn about me. It’s the path up the mountain. The essays are the view from the top.
Some essays from A Paper Orchestra appear here as samples. The full collection is available in print, eBook, and audiobook because that’s how it’s meant to be consumed — complete, uninterrupted, and read as a body of work.
If you’re here for the writing tips, welcome. I’ll keep sharing what I’ve learned.
If you’re here for my original work, thank you for supporting me on this journey.
And if you’re here for both, you already understand what I’m trying to build.
-Michael
