Murray Miller's 5 Upside-Down Rules for TV Writing

There are countless "rules" for screenwriting, and while they’re all solid ideas, they’re part of why so many TV shows start to feel the same. Rules like: “love all your characters,” “write what you know,” “show, don’t tell” –all great advice! And you should know these rules. But as Picasso said, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” So let's Murray Miller flip things on their head and play with some anti-rules. After all, sometimes it’s fun to look at a painting of a lady with her eyes in the wrong place.

1. Don’t Consider What Your Audience Wants

One key part of TV writing is knowing your audience, right? People have different tastes, trends shift, and what works today might not work tomorrow. Makes sense... or does it? In a world full of streaming services and endless entertainment choices, trying to predict what an audience might want can be a futile exercise. Instead of playing mind reader, focus on what you want. Write a show for yourself – an audience of one. And, in the end, if you truly love it, odds are others will too. After all, there are over 8 billion people in the world.

2. Create Some Characters You Hate

A good writing teacher will probably tell you to love all your characters, and they’re not wrong. Loving your characters helps you see them more clearly, even the evil ones, and makes their motives more understandable. But, just like it’s fun to gossip about people who annoy us, sometimes it’s fun to write a character you just can’t stand. Sure, network execs will tell you that your characters need to be likable, but let’s be honest, we often like watching characters who suck. Just look at reality TV. It’s the trainwrecks we can’t look away from.

3. Give Your Protagonist A Completely Unrelatable Problem

There’s something about overly relatable stories that can make them feel flat. If the conflicts are too close to home, the script can end up feeling like a reminder of your own problems. That’s where escapism comes in. Sometimes, the best stories are the ones that present a problem you’d never face in your own life. Maybe it’s a rich guy with too many yachts, or a character haunted by a ghost who’s boring. Or maybe it’s someone who looks too much like Jon Bon Jovi and it’s ruining their life. These problems have nothing to do with my reality, but they sound fun to write.

4. Write What You Don’t Know

David Hockney once said, “You can’t look at something for too long. You have to look at it once or a million times.” The things we know too well can start to blur, and we miss all the fascinating details hidden in the routine. But when we dive into something new, something we don’t know, we’re suddenly seeing the world through fresh eyes. Murray Miller points out that If you’re stuck looking for inspiration in your own life, try something completely different. Visit a whaling museum. Read a book about Hasidic diamond cutters. The unfamiliar might spark endless story possibilities.

5. Lower the Stakes

“Raise the stakes!” It’s the hackiest piece of advice you’ll always hear about screenwriting. And sure, making things more intense can be a good way to build drama. But sometimes, lowering the stakes can be just as powerful – maybe even more enjoyable. Instead of facing life-or-death decisions, why not explore those everyday, low-key problems? My wife and I are obsessed with The Great British Bake Off right now. The stakes are practically nonexistent. There’s no money to win, everyone is supportive, and the worst-case scenario is that the dough doesn’t rise in time. And yet, it's the perfect show for us right now. In a world overwhelmed by violence and tragedy, sometimes we just want to watch something simple and sweet. Who needs more John Wicks when we already have CNN?

6. Your Characters Should Not State Clearly What They Want

In real life, people rarely admit to their deepest desires. Fear, pride, or self-preservation often make us say the opposite of what we truly want. Your characters should do the same. A desperate job seeker might claim they’re “just exploring options.” An ex might insist they’re “totally over it” while hoping for another chance. An artist might call their passion “just a hobby” to avoid the fear of failure and their parents having to tell people “yeah, he’s still trying to be a screenwriter…” These contradictions make dialogue richer, adding layers of subtext and emotional depth. Let the audience lean in and uncover what your characters really want—not through their words, but through their actions and contradictions.

7. Or You Could Always Do the Opposite of the Opposite

Murray Miller said that At the end of the day, creating great TV isn’t about following rules – mine or anyone else’s. It’s about creating characters we want to spend time with, characters we’re curious about, characters we’ll be hooked on for hours. So however you get there, by the book or through my bad advice, just make sure you enjoy the process. Because odds are, you won’t get paid for it.

Conclusion

Murray Miller’s upside-down rules for TV writing challenge conventional wisdom, proving that the best stories often come from unexpected places. By embracing chaos, defying structure, and trusting instinct over formula, writers can craft narratives that feel fresh, surprising, and deeply engaging. In an industry where predictability can be a creative trap, Miller’s approach serves as a reminder that great television thrives on risk, spontaneity, and a willingness to break the rules—sometimes, quite literally, turning them upside down.