OnWriting: A Podcast of the WGA East

In the final part of OnWriting's series on protecting free speech, journalists Sammie Smylie , Nitish Pahwa , Matt Shuham and join moderator and journalist Susan Rinkunas to discuss the escalating threats faced by journalists in the US, why it's so critical to fight back to protect journalism that informs the public and holds power accountable, and more. Sammie Smylie is a state education reporter...

We're wrapping up 2025 with an OnWriting Screenwriter Roundtable, featuring  David Koepp , Craig Brewer  and Kirt Gunn . The three writers joined us to discuss the origins and process behind their latest projects, how they develop their ideas over time, and much more. David Koepp is a writer and director known for writing the screenplays for films like  Jurassic Park , Mission: Impossible , and Sp...

In part 2 of our series on protecting free speech, veteran late night television writers Josh Gondelman , Liz Hynes , Greg Iwinski and Sasha Stewart join us to discuss the eventful past few months in the world of late night, the current state of the genre, and how they think late night comedy might shift throughout the ongoing fight to protect free speech. Josh Gondelman is a former late night wri...

In the first of a multi-part series on protecting free speech in media, public television writers Rupeshi Shah Bhat , June Thiele , Peter Miller and Jill Cozza-Turner  discuss the state of public broadcasting in the face of ongoing threats like the loss of federal funding, and why it's so critical to fight back to protect both public broadcasting specifically and free speech overall. Rupeshi Shah...

This week, WGAE AI Taskforce co-chairs Larry J. Cohen and Sarah Montana , and taskforce member A.M. Homes sit down for an OnWriting roundtable conversation about all things artificial intelligence: how we got to where we are today, the risks AI poses to workers, what the WGAE is doing to protect members from this technology, and more. A.M. Homes is a writer whose credits include television series...

We're kicking off the Fall/Winter 2025 season of OnWriting with a roundtable conversation between screenwriters Nia DaCosta , Benny Safdie and Will Tracy , who sat down to discuss their latest projects, the writing process, and more. Nia DaCosta is the writer and director of Hedda , a provocative, modern reimagining of Henrik Ibsen's classic play in which the titular Hedda Gabler finds herself tor...

WGAE member organizers Rez Nemorin ,  Jessica Schulberg and Leah Gotcsik sit down to discuss what the organizing, bargaining and enforcement process looks like at each of their workplaces, how being in a union builds a stronger and more supportive community, the importance and responsibility of being an active union member – especially right now – and much more. Rez Nemorin is a producer in the wo...

Co-showrunners Tracey Wigfield and Lang Fisher discuss running their latest writers' room, how the pitching process has changed for them throughout their careers, why figuring out the story is like being good at math, and much more. Tracey Wigfield is a TV writer and showrunner. She created the NBC series Great News and the Saved by the Bell revival on Peacock. Before that, she was a writer on 30...

Saturday Night Live head writers Alison Gates , Streeter Seidell and Kent Sublette join Greg Iwinski to talk about the process of writing for a different host every week, how giving notes to writers differs from giving notes to the cast, what writing for SNL teaches you about rejection, and much more. Alison Gates, Streeter Seidell and Kent Sublette are the current head writers of Saturday Night L...

Three intrepid WGAE member Captains – Sarah Montana, Devin Delliquanti and Suzanne Weber – kick off the summer season OnWriting with a roundtable discussion of our Film and Television Captains Network: what a Captain is, how Captains further the Guild's ability to provide effective union representation for each and every member, the all-important WGA Captain hat and more.   The WGAE Captains Netwo...

Three Daytime Drama writers whose shows were contenders the 2025 Writers Guild Awards join us to discuss their work, how they became daytime drama writers, how the daytime format helps you avoid procrastinating, some favorite plotlines, and much more. Kate Hall is a daytime drama writer whose credits include Days of Our Lives , All My Children , General Hospital , and Young and the Restless . She...

Lynn Nottage is joined by Soo Hugh for a conversation about approaches to adaptation for the screen, improving work-life balance by recentering collaboration, building the writers room for a show that spans several languages, countries, and times, and much more.  Soo Hugh is a writer, showrunner and producer who cut her screenwriting teeth as a staff writer on shows like the AMC crime drama The Ki...

The five contenders for Digital News at the 2025 Writers Guild Awards sit down for a roundtable discussion of their nominated pieces, their writing processes, facing challenges and finding silver linings in the media industry, pre-publication nerves, and much more. The Digital News nominees at the 2025 Writers Guild Awards were Henry Grabar for "Mise-en-Seine: A Paris Olympics Diary" ( Slate ), Ak...

A special episode featuring a panel of 2025 Writers Guild Award nominees from the original and adapted screenplay categories. Moderator Kathryn VanArendonk , TV critic at Vulture and New York Magazine, moderates a conversation between Justin Kuritzkes, Joslyn Barnes , Ramell Ross,  and  Dana Fox to talk about their critically and culturally acclaimed screenplays. Justin Kuritzkes is the writer of...

Screenwriters Peter Straughan ( Conclave ) and  Zack Baylin ( The Order ) discuss their latest projects and previous work, their process, and much more. Peter Straughan is a writer and playwright. His most recent screenplay is the 2024 film Conclave . Before Conclave , Peter's screenwriting credits have include The Goldfinch, Our Brand is Crisis , Frank and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy , the latter o...

Writers and showrunners Julio Torres and Jeff Schaffer discuss their work on some of TV's most acclaimed comedy series. Julio Torres is a writer and comedian who wrote for Saturday Night Live and the HBO comedy series Los Espookys , the latter which he co-created alongside Ana Fabrega and Fred Armisen. He then went on to write and direct the 2023 surrealist dramedy film Problemista. After Problemi...

Host Anya Epstein is joined by Laura Eason to discuss gaining confidence as a first-time showrunner, the art of adaptation and collaboration, hiring diverse writers to give life to diverse characters, navigating delicate topics with the nuance that they require and much more. Laura Eason is a screenwriter, showrunner, executive producer and playwright. She began her television writing career as a...

Host Greg Iwinski sits down with Gabe Sherman to talk about Gabe's path from New York real estate journalist, to writing a book about Roger Ailes, to writing a movie about one of the most famous people on earth: Donald Trump. Gabe Sherman is a journalist, author and screenwriter known for writing The Loudest Voice in the Room , the 2014 bestselling biography of Fox News president Roger Ailes. As a...

Host Zhubin Parang talks to MSNBC Union members Amy Hooker and Andrew Joyce about staying flexible in the challenging newsroom environment, how to handle an election season where unprecedented events happen weekly, and winning a strong union contract that helps them do both of those things as effectively as possible. Amy Hooker has worked as an associate producer on MSNBC's All In with Chris Hayes...

Host Susan Kim sits down with children's television writers Geri Cole and Bob Mittenthal to discuss balancing entertainment and education in children's storytelling, embracing restrictions – from budget limitations to writing for puppets — in creative ways, the ongoing fight for union coverage in animation, and more. Geri Cole is a full-time staff writer and lead interactive narrative designer for...

Host Katie Rich sits down with Sophie Summergrad , Christina Cauterucci and Madeline Ducharme — three of the journalists and producers behind Slate's "Slow Burn" and other acclaimed podcasts — to discuss their paths into journalism, the process of turning an idea into a critically acclaimed podcast, how a strong union contract gives you the freedom – and time – to do the things you care about, and...

Host Liz Hynes , a WGAE Council member and writer for LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER, moderates a conversation with writers from some of your favorite late night comedy series about their experiences and insights from the world of late-night comedy writing.  The panelists include late night writers Molly McNearney   (JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!), Dan Amira  (THE DAILY SHOW),  Felipe Torres Medina  (LAT...

John Hoffman and Amy Schumer sit down to talk about the joys and challenges of leaning into the personal in your writing, the importance of finding the right collaborators, confronting the hardest parts of life with both vulnerability and confidence, and much more. John Hoffman is the co-creator and showrunner of the critically acclaimed and award-winning comedy-drama mystery series Only Murders i...

Acclaimed comedy writers Meredith Scardino and Paula Pell sit down together for a conversation about their journeys to WGAE membership, their journeys to the WGAE office, how producing differs from other positions in the writers room, the importance of both deadlines and procrastination in the creative process and much more. Meredith Scardino is a screenwriter, showrunner and producer who has writ...

Host and WGAE Nonfiction Women of Color Caucus Chair  Chinisha Scott talks with WGAE members Gautam Singhani and Sarah Katz , who both recently worked at the nonfiction television production company Story Syndicate. Story Syndicate is one of the latest nonfiction television shops to join the Writers Guild of America East and they are currently negotiating their first collective bargaining agreemen...