Last week we announced the finalists in the Other Network Comedy Contest. This week we're happy to announce...

The runner up in the comedy contest is Derek Taylor Kent, primarily for his "Original Sketch Packet", but also for his other entries, all of which were very nicely done.

And the winner is...

Deborah Gross for her blog "Conversations With Deb".

We admit that we're a little partial to reality, but we admired the way wrote her own lines in life - and found the funny as it unfolded around her. Also, for finding a way to put the work out as it happened without having to wait for a greenlight from anyone else. Since, let's face it, the green lights are getting harder and harder to get, even for seasoned professionals.

Congratulations to Deb and to all the entries for your hard work.

We're proud to announce the finalists of the Other Network Comedy Contest 2009-10.

Several people sent in multiple script entries this year and, while each individual entry was read 'blind' (no cover page or author info), when we realize that someone wrote more than one script that made it into the finals, we're kind of impressed. That is definitely the kind of thing that an agent or showrunner will look for.

One good script is good, but several good scripts let people know that the writer is prolific - and that's one of the essential ingredients for a career writing comedy.

That being said, the potential winners, in no particular order, are...

Shaz Bennett, "Alaska is a Drag" (Original Pilot)

Brendan Rovan & Timothy Cascino, "Curb Your Enthusiasm: Larry's NSD" (Spec Script)

Teddy Goldsmith, "30 Rock: Fear of a Fat Cat" (Spec Script)

Sara Cravens & Teddy Goldsmith, "Welcome to Stankley" (Original Pilot)

Tyler Burton Smith, "30 Rock: Little People Boxing" (Spec Script)

Deborah Gross, " Conversations With Deb" (Blog Entries)

Derek Taylor Kent "Original Sketch Pack" (He didn't waste any creativity on the title), "The Sarah Silverman Program: When Sarah Met Groucho" (Spec Script), "30 Rock: Poached Lemon" (Spec Script).

Thank you all for your hard work, and for making us laugh. Stay tuned for the winner(s).

At least one winner in the 'personal essay' category of the Other Network Comedy Contest will get read and considered for publication on freshyarn.com by Executive Editor Hillary Carlip.

freshyarn is the premiere website for personal essays, and several peeps have actually gotten BOOK DEALS and AGENTS from having their material published on the site. We also know people who submitted material and waited months for a reply. The Other Network Contest will help you cut to the head of the line.

Get your work featured alongside published authors, essayists, NPR contributors, film and TV writers like Jenny Bicks (Sex and the City), Cindy Caponera (Saturday Night Live), Lisa Cholodenko (High Art), Illeana Douglas (To Die For, the Larry Sanders Show), Paul Feig (Freaks & Geeks), Kate Flannery (The Office), Mimi Friedman (Will & Grace, Big Love), Eric Gilliland (Roseanne, My Boys), Dana Gould (The Simpsons), Melanie Hutsell (Saturday Night Live), Gary Janetti (Will & Grace, Family Guy), and many others. Enter Other Network Comedy Contest- deadline Dec. 15.

The Other Network Comedy Contest deadline is Dec. 15, 2009 and we're happy to announce that at least one winner will get their work seen by Comedy Central VP of Development, and executive producer of the Comedy Central Stage, Gary S. Mann, who also previously worked at HBO.

Also in the pool of potential reader/advisors is two-time Emmy-winner and multiple nominee Brent Forrester, currently working as Consulting Producer on "The Office", previously Co-EP on "King of the Hill", Co-Producer on "The Simpsons" and writer on "The Ben Stiller Show" - among others. He's also prepping his own pilot to shoot this spring.

This year the contest is accepting any comedy format: TV spec scripts, original TV pilots, feature screenplays, plays, personal essays, sketch packets, shorts, produced pilots, standup performances, et. al. - with potential winners in every category.

Previous winners have had their work reviewed by Bob Odenkirk ("Mr. Show", "Saturday Night Live"), Alan Zweibel ("Curb Your Enthusiasm", "It's Garry Shandling's Show)", Bill Oakley & Josh Weinstein ("The Simpsons", "The Mullets"), Cindy Chupack ("Sex and the City", "Everybody Loves Raymond") and other top comedy showrunners, plus managers at Brillstein-Grey, agents at Metropolitan, execs at Starz and Comedy Central. Get details and enter now.

Larry Charles says he wants to be remembered as much for his failures as for his successes -- which is probably a lot easier to say when your successes include Borat, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld, Mad About You, Dilbert, The Tick and Religulous.

We're granting Larry's wish, and reassuring you that no one wins all the time, by posting a piece Larry performed at Un-Cabaret's Say the Word. He calls it "Fragments of Failure". We call it "The Road to Success".

When I was first submitting scripts to agents I actually had a file folder titled 'Rejects' and used to dutifully file all my rejection letters. Stephen King used a rusty nail in the wall to tack up his rejections like trophies. So remember this quote from IBM founder Tom Watson: "If you want to succeed, increase your rate of failure". And start failing!

But before you do, you might want to take some more specific advice from Larry in this inspiring and informative hour-long download. Or get Larry's interview along with inside info from other top showrunners including Michael Patrick King, Seth McFarlane and John Riggi in the indispensible Other Network Writers Room series.

A couple of recent wake-up calls.

1) STOP THE PRESSES
Apparently Universal has announced they are suspending all feature film development until 2010. Even though film box office is doing great. High-end shenanigans from corporate parents or just part of the general climate of fear?

2) BLAME THE WRITERS
I don't know if this is true for stars and on-camera talent, but at the Emmys last week, a major TV network instituted a new policy about limos. The network still hired cars to take nominees to the awards ceremony, but when one writer/producer who won one of the top awards wanted to take their Emmy out on the town, they were told the network was only paying for the car to go to the awards ceremony and then drop them home. If they wanted to go to any other parties they had to pay for the car themself!

Get your work read by top showrunners
DEADLINE: DEC. 15, 2009
Fill out this form to enter now

Previous winners have had their work seen by agents at UTA and Metropolitan, managers at Brillstein-Grey, executives at Fox, Comedy Central and Starz/Film Roman, producers and award-winning TV creators like:

ALAN ZWEIBEL ("Saturday Night Live", "It's Garry Shandling's Show")
BOB ODENKIRK ("Mr. Show", "Saturday Night Live", "Tenacious D")
JOHN RIGGI ("The Comeback", "30 Rock", "The Larry Sanders Show")
JAY KOGEN ("The Simpsons", "Frasier")
BILL OAKLEY & JOSH WEINSTEIN ("The Simpsons", "The Mullets")
WINNIE HOLZMAN ("Wicked", "Thirtysomething", Creator of "My So-Called Life")
BRYAN FULLER ("Wonderfalls", "Heroes", "Pushing Daisies")
CINDY CHUPACK ("Sex and the City", "Everybody Loves Raymond")
BRENT FORRESTER ("The Office", "King of The Hill", "Undeclared")
ROB COHEN ("The Ben Stiller Show", "The Simpsons")
JON KINNALLY ("Ugly Betty", "Will & Grace")

>> YOUR WORK <<
- Can be an original piece of writing or
a 'spec' of a TV series that has aired
- Any comedy format on paper, DVD, CD, mini-DV, VHS
(essay, sketch, short, animation, monolog, etc.)
- Multiple submissions & re-submissions OK
(but please do a serious re-write!)
- Individual or group copyright ok

>> HOW TO ENTER <<