"The concept is insignificant"

I read an interview by TVLine where Jeff Wachtel and Chris McCumber, co-presidents of the USA Network, talked about their successful TV-shows*. The interviewer asked them what percent of a show's success was attributed to casting versus concept.

This was Wachtel’s answer:

“If I might, it would be casting versus writing; the concept is insignificant. The writer is almost half, and the cast is the other half. There’s a little bit about the concept, but it’s almost the excuse for the show to take place.”

According to google a concept is an abstract idea; a general notion.

What I get from this, is that the premise of your story doesn’t have to be very original, fantastic or engaging.

You don’t have to wait for the perfect idea to write a story. The idea (or the concept/premise/[insert other buzzword here]) is insignificant. It’s just the excuse for the story to be created. I’s the writing that can make (or break) a story.

Stop waiting for that perfect idea to come slamming into you. Just write. It doesn’t matter if you feel like it’s the most unoriginal story ever. It doesn’t matter if you feel like all you write is a bunch of clichés. It’s not the concept of a story that matters. It’s the writing.

So write.

*USA Network is responsible for TV-shows such as Monk, Burn Notice, Psych and my personal favourite Covert Affairs. Do you know why I love that show? Other than the fact that it’s very entertaining and well-written, it also features the awesome and adorable Chris Gorham.

Who can say no to that? So yeah. You should watch that show. It’s good.