From FRIENDS Intern to CRIMINAL MINDS TV Writer to Showrunner: How to Build a TV Writing Career
Mon Feb 02 2026
What does it take to build a successful TV writing career in comedy, procedurals, and drama? Executive producer, showrunner, and author Kimberly Ann Harrison reveals how she landed an internship on FRIENDS, wrote 78 episodes of CRIMINAL MINDS over 12 years, and made the leap to showrunner (DEPUTY, THE CROSSOVER, WASHINGTON BLACK). On this episode of IN PROXIMITY, Kim talks to host Paola Mardo about her transition from comedy to drama, the importance of finding a character's “why”, tips on pitching episodes and applying for writing jobs, lessons on loneliness and leadership, writing her debut novel BEYOND THE PADDOCK, and why her advice for new writers is to keep blinders on and just write.
(00:00) Just write!
(01:50) Born and raised in LA by teachers - shout out Diamond Bar!
(03:30) College, Intro to Broadcasting, Tammy Trujillo, learning about TV
(05:28) Interning on FRIENDS
(07:15) How to get a job on the “FRIENDS of today”
(08:45) Writer tips for the best cover letter ever
(09:18) Lessons from the FRIENDS writers room
(10:43) CRIMINAL MINDS, transitioning from comedy to drama, mentorship
(14:30) Jumping from writers assistant to writer, pitching tips
(16:30) It’s all about the “why” of the killer
(17:20) Industry advice for writers today: “keep blinders on”, “it just takes one yes”
(18:15) Becoming a showrunner
(19:48) How lonely showrunning can be, how to lead and manage a team
(22:26) Writing a novel: BEYOND THE PADDOCK
(28:17) Prox Recs
SHOP OUR PROX BOOK RECS ON BOOKSHOP.ORG
LEARN MORE AND READ THE TRANSCRIPT AT PROXIMITYMEDIA.COM
WATCH/LISTEN TO IN PROXIMITY
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APPLE PODCASTS
SPOTIFY
FOLLOW PROXIMITY MEDIA
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TIKTOK
IN PROXIMITY IS A PRODUCTION OF PROXIMITY MEDIA
Host, Director, Producer: Paola Mardo
Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian
Theme Song and Additional Music: Ludwig Göransson
Co-Director and Director of Photography: Patrick Epino
Sound Designer and Mix Engineer: Ken Nana
Editors: Patrick Epino, Brittani Brown, Ken Nana
Sound Recordist: Isabella Miller
Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz
Production Assistant: Isabella Miller
Post-Production Coordinator: Celine Mendiola
Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana
Production Intern: Ben Caloza
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What does it take to build a successful TV writing career in comedy, procedurals, and drama? Executive producer, showrunner, and author Kimberly Ann Harrison reveals how she landed an internship on FRIENDS, wrote 78 episodes of CRIMINAL MINDS over 12 years, and made the leap to showrunner (DEPUTY, THE CROSSOVER, WASHINGTON BLACK). On this episode of IN PROXIMITY, Kim talks to host Paola Mardo about her transition from comedy to drama, the importance of finding a character's “why”, tips on pitching episodes and applying for writing jobs, lessons on loneliness and leadership, writing her debut novel BEYOND THE PADDOCK, and why her advice for new writers is to keep blinders on and just write. (00:00) Just write! (01:50) Born and raised in LA by teachers - shout out Diamond Bar! (03:30) College, Intro to Broadcasting, Tammy Trujillo, learning about TV (05:28) Interning on FRIENDS (07:15) How to get a job on the “FRIENDS of today” (08:45) Writer tips for the best cover letter ever (09:18) Lessons from the FRIENDS writers room (10:43) CRIMINAL MINDS, transitioning from comedy to drama, mentorship (14:30) Jumping from writers assistant to writer, pitching tips (16:30) It’s all about the “why” of the killer (17:20) Industry advice for writers today: “keep blinders on”, “it just takes one yes” (18:15) Becoming a showrunner (19:48) How lonely showrunning can be, how to lead and manage a team (22:26) Writing a novel: BEYOND THE PADDOCK (28:17) Prox Recs SHOP OUR PROX BOOK RECS ON BOOKSHOP.ORG LEARN MORE AND READ THE TRANSCRIPT AT PROXIMITYMEDIA.COM WATCH/LISTEN TO IN PROXIMITY YOUTUBE APPLE PODCASTS SPOTIFY FOLLOW PROXIMITY MEDIA INSTAGRAM TIKTOK IN PROXIMITY IS A PRODUCTION OF PROXIMITY MEDIA Host, Director, Producer: Paola Mardo Executive Producers: Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian Theme Song and Additional Music: Ludwig Göransson Co-Director and Director of Photography: Patrick Epino Sound Designer and Mix Engineer: Ken Nana Editors: Patrick Epino, Brittani Brown, Ken Nana Sound Recordist: Isabella Miller Motion Graphics Designer: Apollo Baldoz Production Assistant: Isabella Miller Post-Production Coordinator: Celine Mendiola Social Media Coordinator: Alexandria Santana Production Intern: Ben Caloza