We've all binged at least one of Shonda Rhimes' shows. And for a good reason - she's a master storyteller and a skilled liar. But did you know that Rhimes is also normalizing diversity on television? Her goal was to conquer the world through television, and she's done that with her production company Shondaland. This post will look at how we can learn from her techniques and apply them to our writing.
Shondaland: Taking Over the World
Shondaland is taking over the world through television - a fantastic achievement. But it also makes me a bit envious. I want my own Joe Land, so I'm taking a page out of Rhimes' book and moving towards it in the near future.
Shonda's Daily Writing Routine:
Shonda's daily routine is to write from 8 AM to noon. That's hard for me, but I can adapt. Like her, I put on music and switch between projects if I get stuck. This is great for me because I have two projects going on right now.
Reading Dialogue Out Loud:
Shonda reads all her dialogue out loud to make sure it works in the mouth. This is helpful for me because I can sometimes ignore punctuation. By reading it aloud, I can see if my reader will get out of breath.
Not Moving On Until The Project is Perfect:
Shonda will not move on until she has a project perfect. She won't move on to the next thing. This is probably subject to being on TV or having television because you need to finish that episode before you can go on to the next. Because somebody's waiting on it to do pre-production and to memorize their lines. This would be an excellent practice to try and do because I am writing about real people, and I want them to sound authentic and I want them to sound natural.
Shonda Rhimes has changed the game for television and storytelling, and by taking a page out of her book, we can elevate our writing and connect with our readers on a deeper level. To help you further develop your writing skills, we have a workbook available for purchase on our Patreon page, and it's packed with exercises, prompts and tips to help you write like Shonda Rhimes.
Also, as a bonus, if you sign up for a one-month Audible subscription trial, you can get a free copy of Shonda Rhimes' book "The Year of Yes". This book is a great resource to learn more about the writer's journey and how she's become one of the most successful writers in the industry. Don't hesitate; get your copy now and elevate your writing to the next level.