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Writing and Producing for Reality Television

Have a great idea for the next binge-able reality TV obsession? With over 1600 unscripted shows currently airing on the world's three biggest streamers (Netflix, Prime Video and Hulu) and the major US TV Networks airing more than 40 reality series in their primetime lineups, now is the time to bring your idea to life. Identifying unscripted formats, understanding the unscripted marketplace, and getting an amazing idea out of your head and onto the page are essential skills for the aspiring unscripted TV producer. In this class, you'll learn to analyze the TV landscape, find the perfect format and audience for your show, and master the overarching storytelling principles that turn a great concept into must-see-TV. Classes will cover a short history of unscripted TV, from Queen for a Day and Candid Camera to The Real World and Real Housewives. We'll dissect the current market for unscripted programming, learn how to transform a show concept into a lean, impactful pitch deck, and master the storytelling fundamentals that get your concept off the page and onto the screen. Students will "live pitch" their ideas for peer review, and guest speakers - including unscripted agents and producers - will join to provide feedback and answer questions. Topics include: understanding unscripted formats, how to pitch and who to pitch, unscripted storytelling and crafting stories in post-production, budgeting and the economics of unscripted TV.  Registering at least three weeks prior to the course start date is highly recommended. This course may be used to fulfill the requirements of the Certificate in Writing and Producing for Film and Television . It may be taken to pursue the certificate, or as a standalone course. Questions? Contact us at The Center for Publishing and Applied Liberal Arts: Email [email protected] or call 212-998-7289.

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You'll Walk Away with

• A detailed producer-centric understanding of the world of reality TV.
• The skill to develop and pitch your own unscripted TV formats.
• An understanding of how to budget and produce unscripted content across broadcast, streaming and social platforms.
• Storytellers, writers, producers, and media professionals.
• Anyone who has a great idea or wants to learn about the business and creative processes involved with creating an unscripted TV show.
• Those who are interested in pursuing a career writing or producing unscripted TV.

25 seats left

Course details, course number.

WRIT1-CE9042

Creative Writing (CRWRI-UA)

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List of All U.S. Colleges with a Creative Writing Major

Writing has been my passion practically since I learned to read in kindergarten. I would write stories about princesses and my family dog, Gansett. When it came time to look at colleges, I was set on attending one with a strong creative writing program. Ultimately, I graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Writing Seminars.

Today, colleges across the country offer creative writing as a major. Because writing skills are essential for a wide range of careers, and because most curricula emphasize broad liberal arts competencies, a degree in creative writing can set you up for success in numerous fields, whether you want to be an editor or a lawyer.

Interested in majoring in creative writing? Learn which schools offer the major and what to look for in a program.

Overview of the Creative Writing Major

Creative writing is about more than spinning tales. For your major, you’ll generally need to pursue a curriculum grounded in literature, history, foreign language, and other humanities courses, along with distribution courses, if the college requires them.

Most creative writing majors must participate in workshops, in which students present their work and listen to peer critiques, usually with a certain number of advanced courses in the mix. In some cases, colleges will ask you to specialize in a particular genre, such as fiction, poetry, or playwriting. 

To succeed in creative writing, you’ll need to have a tough spine, in order to open yourself up to feedback from your classmates and instructors. You may need to give readings in public — if not as an undergraduate, certainly during your career. Of course, a passion for creating is essential, too, as is a willingness to revise your work and learn from the greats and your peers.

A creative writing major opens up doors to many careers, including journalism, content marketing, copywriting, teaching, and others. Even careers that don’t center around writing often have a strong writing component: you’ll need to write reports, deliver presentations, and so on.

Some writers go on to earn an MFA, which will help you hone your craft. It’s also often a prerequisite for teaching creative writing at the college level.

What to Look for in a College as a Creative Writing Major

Published authors on faculty.

Many world-renowned authors have another claim to fame: professorships. Writers who have taught their craft include (among many others):

• Maya Angelou (Wake Forest University)
• Colson Whitehead (many colleges, including Vassar College and Columbia University)
• Stephen Dixon (Johns Hopkins University)
• Viet Thanh Nguyen (University of Southern California)
• Eula Biss (Northwestern University)
• Toni Morrison (Princeton University)

Be aware that as an undergraduate, you may not be able to learn from the greats. That’s why it’s important to look into which courses these faculty teach before you have dreams of being mentored by Salman Rushdie — who is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU.

Genres Offered

While many schools that have creative writing majors offer fiction and poetry courses and tracks, there are some niche genres that could be more difficult to find. If you’re interested in playwriting, for example, you won’t find that at every school. Before you decide on a program, be sure it includes the genres you’d like to explore further, whether that’s flash fiction, creative nonfiction, or something else.

Workshopping Opportunities

The core of most quality creative writing curriculum is workshopping. This means sharing your work in your classes and listening to your peers discuss and critique it. While this may sound intimidating, it can do a lot to help you hone your work and become a better writer. Look for colleges that make this the bedrock of their curriculum.

Showcasing Opportunities

Are there opportunities to present your work, such as college-sponsored readings where undergraduates can participate? Or, perhaps the school has a great literary journal. At my school, students could submit their plays and have them performed by fellow students. 

List of All U.S. Colleges With a Creative Writing Major

What are your chances of acceptance.

No matter what major you’re considering, the first step is ensuring you’re academically comparable to students who were previously accepted to the college or university. Most selective schools use the Academic Index to filter out applicants who aren’t up to their standards.

You’ll also want to demonstrate your fit with the school and specific major with the qualitative components of your application, like your extracurriculars and essays. For a prospective creative writing major, the essay is particularly important because this is a way to demonstrate your writing prowess. Activities might include editing your school’s newspaper or literary journal, publishing your work, and participating in pre-college writing workshops.

Want to know your chances of being accepted to top creative writing schools? Try our Chancing Engine (it’s free). Unlike other calculators, it takes your individual profile into account, including academic stats and qualitative components like your activities. Give it a try and get a jumpstart on your journey as a creative writing major!

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• Publications 18

Diana M . Pho

• Other Affiliations: Mount Holyoke College , English , Alumnus add
• Research Interests: Fan Theory and Culture , Fandom , Participatory Culture , Speculative Literature , Performance Theory , New Media Art & Emerging Practices , and 21 more Performance Studies , Postmodern Literary Theory and Popular Culture , Steampunk , Critical Race Theory , Play , Social Movement , Social Justice , Postcolonial Theory , Avant-Garde Theater , Visual Communication , Postcolonial Studies , Creative Writing , Culture Studies , Race and Ethnicity , New Media , Performance Art , Fashion , Russian Studies , Science Fiction and Fantasy , Diversity & Inclusion , and Street medicine ( Performance Studies , Postmodern Literary Theory and Popular Culture , Steampunk , Critical Race Theory , Play , Social Movement , Social Justice , Postcolonial Theory , Avant-Garde Theater , Visual Communication , Postcolonial Studies , Creative Writing , Culture Studies , Race and Ethnicity , New Media , Performance Art , Fashion , Russian Studies , Science Fiction and Fantasy , Diversity & Inclusion , and Street medicine ) edit
• About: Diana M. Pho is a queer Vietnamese-American independent scholar, playwright, and book editor. She has a double Bachel... more Diana M. Pho is a queer Vietnamese-American independent scholar, playwright, and book editor. She has a double Bachelor’s degree in English and Russian Literature from Mount Holyoke College and a Master’s in Performance Studies from New York University. She is interested in performance of identity and the ideological and social currency of participatory cultures in relation to the dominant culture, namely in visual subcultures like steampunk and Japanese anime cosplay. Diana's past work has included critical analysis of the role of race in fashion, performance, and the media, in addition to pieces focusing on fan studies and fan communities. Diana is also a two-time finalist for Best Editor, Long-Form in the Hugo Awards, one of the most prestigious honors in the SFF field. Novels she has edited have won the Thriller Award and Ditmar Award, and become finalists for the Nebula Award, Lambda Literary Award, Shirley Jackson Award, and Andre Norton Award for Young Adult. For several years, she has traveled the country as a professional convention speaker about social justice issues and fandom. She has been interviewed about steampunk and its evolving subculture for many media outlets, including BBC America, the Travel Channel, HGTV, and the Science Channel; the websites Airship Ambassador, Racialicious, and NerdCaliber; and the books The Steampunk Bible, and Steampunk: Reloaded. You can also follow her work on the multicultural steampunk blog Beyond Victoriana: http://beyondvictoriana.com Photo credit by Gerry O'Brien. (Diana M. Pho is a queer Vietnamese-American independent scholar, playwright, and book editor. She has a double Bachelor’s degree in English and Russian Literature from Mount Holyoke College and a Master’s in Performance Studies from New York University.<br /><br />She is interested in performance of identity and the ideological and social currency of participatory cultures in relation to the dominant culture, namely in visual subcultures like steampunk and Japanese anime cosplay. Diana&#39;s past work has included critical analysis of the role of race in fashion, performance, and the media, in addition to pieces focusing on fan studies and fan communities.<br /><br />Diana is also a two-time finalist for Best Editor, Long-Form in the Hugo Awards, one of the most prestigious honors in the SFF field. Novels she has edited have won the Thriller Award and Ditmar Award, and become finalists for the Nebula Award, Lambda Literary Award, Shirley Jackson Award, and Andre Norton Award for Young Adult. <br /><br />For several years, she has traveled the country as a professional convention speaker about social justice issues and fandom.<br /><br />She has been interviewed about steampunk and its evolving subculture for many media outlets, including BBC America, the Travel Channel, HGTV, and the Science Channel; the websites Airship Ambassador, Racialicious, and NerdCaliber; and the books The Steampunk Bible, and Steampunk: Reloaded.<br /><br />You can also follow her work on the multicultural steampunk blog Beyond Victoriana: http://beyondvictoriana.com<br /><br />Photo credit by Gerry O&#39;Brien.) edit
• Advisors: Tavia Nyong'o edit

DOI: 10.7771/2153-8999.1189

Publication date: 2019, publication name: journal of southeast asian american education and advancement:, research interests: creative writing , asian american studies , diaspora studies , drama and theater , and asian american theatre and drama (), doi: 10.5281/zenodo.2628487, publication name: neo-victorian studies, research interests: steampunk , drama and theater , postcolonial steampunk , theater and performance studies , asian american theatre and drama , and steampunk identities (), publication name: writers digest, research interests: creative writing , publishing , book publishing , and witing skills (), publication date: 2018, publication name: uncanny magazine, research interests: creative writing , publishing , fan studies , fandom , online fandom , and 5 more book publishing , fanfiction , online fandom culture , fanfiction studies , and fanfiction in literature ( book publishing , fanfiction , online fandom culture , fanfiction studies , and fanfiction in literature ), publication name: outland entertainment, research interests: fan studies , fan cultures , fandom , fan theory and culture , science fiction and fantasy , and 2 more fan communities and fandom studies ( fan communities and fandom studies ), more info: "introduction." co-authored with elsa sjunneson-henry in steampunk universe. ed sarah hans. alliteration ink: 2018, publication name: steampunk universe, alliteration ink, research interests: disability studies , fan studies , disability history , fandom , online fandom , and 9 more steampunk , science fiction and fantasy , disability , science fiction studies , postcolonial steampunk , fandom studies , steampunk identities , steampunk literature , and steampunk academic resources ( steampunk , science fiction and fantasy , disability , science fiction studies , postcolonial steampunk , fandom studies , steampunk identities , steampunk literature , and steampunk academic resources ), more info: edited by brian croxall and rachel bowser. minnesota press: 2016., journal name: like clockwork, publication date: 2016, publication name: like clockwork steampunk pasts, presents, and futures, research interests: performance studies , subcultures , race and ethnicity , performativity , fan studies , and 10 more national identity , punk culture , hip-hop/rap , fandom , steampunk , cosplay , appropriation , ethnicity and national identity , cosplay and self-identuty , and fandom studies ( national identity , punk culture , hip-hop/rap , fandom , steampunk , cosplay , appropriation , ethnicity and national identity , cosplay and self-identuty , and fandom studies ), publication date: 2015, publication name: publication descriptioncheeky frawg / ediciones nevsky, research interests: spanish literature , steampunk , science fiction and fantasy , postcolonial steampunk , steampunk literature , and steampunk academic resources (), publication name: nvisible 2: personal essays on representation in sf/f., research interests: creative writing , publishing , writing , book publishing , and science fiction and fantasy (), publication date: 2014, publication name: steampunk user’s manual, research interests: drama , fan studies , theater and film , fandom , steampunk , and 7 more science fiction and fantasy , postcolonial steampunk , fandom studies , peformance studies , steampunk identities , theater , and steampunk literature ( science fiction and fantasy , postcolonial steampunk , fandom studies , peformance studies , steampunk identities , theater , and steampunk literature ), more info: edited by sarah hans, publication date: aug 15, 2014, publication name: steampunk world, research interests: science fiction , steampunk , and postcolonial steampunk (), publication date: 2013, publication name: the anatomy of steampunk: the fashion of victorian futurism, research interests: fan studies , costume and identity , fandom , steampunk , science fiction and fantasy , and 5 more costume design , postcolonial steampunk , costume , fandom studies , and steampunk identities ( costume design , postcolonial steampunk , costume , fandom studies , and steampunk identities ), more info: guest blog for the journal of victorian culture online, publisher: routledge, journal name: journal of victorian culture, publication date: oct 14, 2013, publication name: journal of victorian culture online, research interests: multiculturalism , popular culture , digital media , science fiction , social media , and 8 more digital media and new literacies , fan cultures , neo-victorian literature , steampunk , fan theory and culture , science fiction and fantasy , advocacy and activism , and neo-victorian studies ( digital media and new literacies , fan cultures , neo-victorian literature , steampunk , fan theory and culture , science fiction and fantasy , advocacy and activism , and neo-victorian studies ), more info: feature article for overland magazine, research interests: cultural sociology , subcultures , ideology , fan studies , science fiction , and 7 more steampunk , fan theory and culture , science fiction and fantasy , socio-cultural , identity , political , and socio-linguistics ( steampunk , fan theory and culture , science fiction and fantasy , socio-cultural , identity , political , and socio-linguistics ), more info: steaming into a victorian future. ed. julie anne taddeo, cynthia miller, and ken dvorak. scarecrow press. 2012., publication date: 2012, publication name: steaming into a victorian future, research interests: new media , performance studies , performance art , fan studies , new media art & emerging practices , and 4 more fan cultures , fandom , steampunk , and science fiction and fantasy ( fan cultures , fandom , steampunk , and science fiction and fantasy ), more info: co-authored with jaymee goh. fashion talks: undressing the power of style ed. shira tarrant & marjorie jolles. suny press. 2012., publication name: fashion talks: undressing the power of style., research interests: postcolonial studies , fan studies , fan cultures , fandom , steampunk , and 3 more fan theory and culture , science fiction and fantasy , and fashion ( fan theory and culture , science fiction and fantasy , and fashion ), more info: steampunk magazine anthology, issues #1 – 7. ed. margaret killjoy. ak press. 2011., publication date: 2011, publication name: steampunk magazine., research interests: anthropology of dance , fan studies , fan cultures , fandom , steampunk , and 2 more dance and aesthetics and belly dance in a social-cultural context ( dance and aesthetics and belly dance in a social-cultural context ), more info: honors thesis. mount holyoke college. 2007., publisher: dspace.nitle.org, publication date: jan 1, 2007, research interests: creative writing , fiction writing , and russian studies (), publisher: zenodo, publication date: apr 4, 2019, research interests: steampunk , drama and theater , neo-victorian studies , postcolonial steampunk , theater and performance studies , and 2 more asian american theatre and drama and steampunk identities ( asian american theatre and drama and steampunk identities ), research interests: sociology , gender studies , performance studies , subcultures , race and ethnicity , and 12 more performativity , fan studies , national identity , punk culture , hip-hop/rap , fandom , steampunk , cosplay , appropriation , ethnicity and national identity , cosplay and self-identuty , and fandom studies ( performativity , fan studies , national identity , punk culture , hip-hop/rap , fandom , steampunk , cosplay , appropriation , ethnicity and national identity , cosplay and self-identuty , and fandom studies ), publisher: purdue university (bepress), publication name: journal of southeast asian american education and advancement, research interests: creative writing , sociology , gender studies , queer studies , asian american studies , and 14 more performance , diaspora studies , playwriting , drama and theater , vietnamese , vietnamese diaspora , queer , mimicry , intersectional feminism , asian americans , asian american , vietnamese american , asian american theatre and drama , and theater ( performance , diaspora studies , playwriting , drama and theater , vietnamese , vietnamese diaspora , queer , mimicry , intersectional feminism , asian americans , asian american , vietnamese american , asian american theatre and drama , and theater ).

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Creative Writing Program

Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

Visionaries Wanted

Stories impact us in profound ways. Good stories can inspire and touch our souls; they bring freshness, life, understanding and clarity to our human experience. They can draw us closer to God and to Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. They are at the core of the entertainment which shapes our culture and society. Under the guidance of experienced writers, JPCatholic students study the discipline and craft of powerfully telling stories for multiple mediums, whether that be a novel, short story, or screenplay.

St. John Paul the Great, a writer and artist himself, wrote extensively encouraging artists to develop their “divine spark”, to create works whose excellence communicates truth and beauty. Many career paths after graduation are available to students in the Creative Writing emphasis, but they are all oriented to contributing to the common good.

“Society needs artists...they not only enrich the cultural heritage of each nation and of all humanity, but they also render an exceptional social service in favor of the common good.”

POPE ST. JOHN PAUL II

Creative Writing Curriculum

Creative Writing Core

All Creative Writing students will take a well-rounded foundation of courses in areas like short fiction, poetry, prose fiction, and non-fiction.

Elective Tracks

Screenwriting

Immerse yourself in opportunities to write for film and television, with the chance to pitch your screenplay to our Feature Film Program.

Study landmark novels, contemporary fiction, and works like Lord of the Rings and The Brothers Karamazov that bridge literature and theology.

Learn more about marketing and publishing, with the opportunity to lead a campus creative arts journal.

General Education

Theology & Philosophy

Impact culture for Christ and grow in faith and understanding through a rich sequence of Scripture based Theology courses and Philosophy courses.

Prepare yourself for a career in writing with skills in marketing, project management, and entrepreneurial thinking.

Study the human condition by actively engaging in an exploration of literature, art, culture, politics, economics, and more.

Envision your future at JPCatholic

Submit your story to the Feature Film Program

JPCatholic’s annual Feature Film Program gives students the opportunity to pitch their scripts to be developed into a full-length movie.

Publish Your Work in Our Student Journal

Our student-published journal Pelican’s Plume provides you with opportunities to share your work in creative writing, poetry, illustration, and more.

Diverse Elective Opportunities

Whether you are interested in poetry, short stories, non-fiction writing, screenwriting, adaptation, or novels, you’ll have the chance to explore and develop your unique voice. You can also delve into electives from our other programs such as illustration, theatre, film, and more.

Our Authentically Catholic Community

Our campus is a place where students can grow both professionally and spiritually. We’re a unique community of artists and innovators, centered around our faith in Jesus Christ and the beauty of the Catholic faith. Immerse yourself in an abundance of opportunities for spiritual growth, including Daily Mass, Confession, Adoration, Rosary, Retreats, and Service Projects.

Our Small Campus Environment

With a total student body under 300, JPCatholic offers a warm, tight-knit campus community. Foster lifelong friendships, form creative partnerships, and surround yourself with a supportive environment that encourages your growth in both virtue and artistic excellence.

Generous Scholarships Available

At JPCatholic, we’re committed to making a quality Catholic education affordable for every student. 99% of our students receive a scholarship, and packages take both need and merit into account. Our personalized financial counseling process assists you in identifying all awards you might be eligible for.

Graduate in 3 Years

Our unique academic model prepares students for the real-world pace of professional life in the industry, with a focus on hands-on projects, internships, and portfolio preparation. The program is structured on a year-round quarter system, and you graduate with your Bachelors Degree in just 12 quarters. Each quarter is 10 weeks long, with about 3 weeks of break between each quarter.

Alumni Success

JPCatholic alumni have found success in a variety of paths, ranging from Hollywood to independent media organizations, and from large corporations to nonprofits to their own entrepreneurial start-ups. View our placement rate and alumni jobs by clicking below.

Located in San Diego County

John Paul the Great Catholic University is centered in north county San Diego, just a 35-minute drive from downtown in America's Finest City. Southern California is famous for its fantastic weather, beautiful beaches and mountains, and bustling metropolitan areas. Our campus is just 15 miles from the beach, a short trip by car or train. And with Los Angeles and Hollywood within striking distance, students have even more opportunities for internships and networking.

Meet the Faculty

With small class sizes and mentorship, professors are able to provide individualized training. They bring decades of experience and unique perspectives from varied backgrounds.

Christopher Riley

Professor of Film

Chris is one of the most authoritative figures for the official screenplay format of Hollywood. He is a screenwriter whose first film, After The Truth, an award-winning courtroom thriller written with his wife, Kathleen Riley, sparked international controversy when it was released in Germany. Other credits include 25 To Life, a dramatic thriller for Junction Entertainment and Touchstone Pictures; The Other White House, a political thriller for Sean Connery's Fountainbridge Films and Intermedia; Aces, an action-adventure romance for Paramount Pictures; and a screen adaptation of the book Actual Innocence for Mandalay Television Pictures and the Fox television network.

A veteran of the Warner Bros. script department, Riley is the author of The Hollywood Standard: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style . From 2005 through 2008, he served as director of the acclaimed Act One Writing Program in Hollywood, which trains Christians for careers as writers and executives in film and TV. Chris holds a BS in Telecommunications from Oral Roberts University and was a National Merit Scholar.

Dr. Julie Anne Stevens

Adjunct Professor of Humanities

Julie Anne has her PhD from Trinity College Dublin. She publishes and lectures on Irish literature and the visual arts, nineteenth and twentieth century Irish and American women’s writing, illustrated children’s books, and short fiction. She took early retirement in August 2021 from Dublin City University to relocate to the United States, and returned to JPCatholic where she had been a visiting professor from 2017-2019. As a tenured lecturer in the School of English, DCU, she served as a convenor for both Research (2015-17) and Teaching and Learning (2020-21). She also served as the Director for the Centre for Children’s Literature and Culture (2009-17). During this time, she was treasurer of the Irish Society for the Study of Children’s Literature (ISSCL) and in 2013 she accepted an invitation to join a panel of judges for the Children’s Books Ireland Awards. She currently is part of the team for the Irish Women’s Writing (1880-1920) Network and one of the editors for their forthcoming double issue of English Studies (2022-23) She published The Irish Scene in Somerville and Ross in 2007 and co-edited The Ghost Story from the Middle Ages to the Twentieth Century in 2010. Somerville Press published her latest book, Two Irish Girls in Bohemia: The Drawings and Writings of E. Œ. Somerville and Martin Ross , in 2017.

Steve Kramp

Professor & Chair of Theology and Humanities

Steve is a theologian and prize-winning poet. Prior to coming to JPCatholic he taught courses in writing, literature, and cultural history at a number of universities and colleges, including the University of California, Merced, and the Franciscan University of Steubenville. He holds a BA in English from the University of Oregon, an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and an MA in Theology and Christian Ministry from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. He also worked for three years in youth ministry at a Seattle-area parish.

In his classroom teaching Steve often returns to his primary intellectual interest, which is the intersection of faith practice and artistic practice. In addition to his teaching and administrative service as Humanities Chair at JPCatholic, Steve is currently working on Holy Saturday, a series of long poems. Prof. Steve has received a Mandatum from the Bishop of San Diego as an ecclesial recognition of his posture and commitment to teach Theology always in communion with the Church, and in conformance with the requirements of Ex Corde Ecclesiae.

Bill Marsilii

Adjunct Professor of Screenwriting

Bill co-wrote Déjà vu - a romantic time-travel thriller, which at the time was the highest-priced spec screenplay of all time after selling to Jerry Bruckheimer and Touchstone Pictures for $5 million. Déjà vu, which starred Denzel Washington, Paula Patton, Val Kilmer and Jim Caviezel, grossed more than $180 million worldwide. Marsilii sold 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo to Walt Disney Pictures, and with his Deja Vu partner Terry Rossio, sold Lightspeed, a space adventure to Bruckheimer/Disney. More recently, Marsilii adapted the sci-fi comic Sebastian X for producer Gale Anne Hurd and director Martin Campbell, and sold an original project, Cold, to Lionsgate with Reese Witherspoon attached to star and produce. Marsilii has been a guest lecturer at a wide variety of film and screenwriting programs, including those at UCLA TFT, USC, NYU, and Pepperdine. He has served as a mentor for the Act One Screenwriting Program.

Sheryl Anderson

Visiting Professor of TV Writing

Sheryl is an accomplished author, television writer, and producer with over 20 years of experience. Over the course of her career, Sheryl has written and produced for hit TV shows such as Charmed, Flash Gordon, Ties that Bind , and the Netflix original series Sweet Magnolias . She began her career as a development executive for Grant Tinker's GTG Entertainment where she wrote for half-hour sitcoms Parker Lewis Can't Lose and Dave's World. Sheryl has also published four novels in her Molly Forrester series. In addition to her writing, she has taught for Act One, an instructional program for Christian screenwriters, and for UCLA's Writer's Extension Program.

Robin Murray, PhD

Robin is a classicist whose research focusses on Imperial Rome, early Christianity and ancient philosophy. Her dissertation analyzed the theme of death and death preparation in the Satyrica, an ancient novel by Petronius who, although a friend to the Emperor Nero, was forced to commit suicide by him in 66 A.D. More broadly, she studies the Graeco-Roman world and strives to make it relevant to people of today. She received her PhD in Classics from UC Irvine where she taught classes on the history and literature of ancient Greece and Rome and served as the assistant editor to the Classics journal TAPA ( Transactions of the American Philological Society ). She lives in Northern San Diego with her husband and children.

Megan Jauregui Eccles

Megan writes dark, speculative fiction for young adults and is represented by Laura Galit of LKG Agency. Her writing has appeared in Kelp Journal, Coachella Review, Ladies of the Fright, The Lineup, and Dwarf+Giant. She is editorial assistant and social media manager for Hill Nadell Literary Agency. She holds a BA in Music from the University of San Diego and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of California Riverside-Palm Desert. She lives in San Diego with her husband and four sons.

Get an Inside Look

Creative Writing Program Overview

Humanities Program Overview

Joshua David MG: Writing to Express Yourself | Why We Create

Why Study Poetry?

Prof. Nathan Scoggins: Why do stories impact us? | Crash Course in Storytelling

Megan Eccles | Faculty Insights

The Philosophy of Lord of the Rings: Capstone Seminar

Alyssa Helsel: Art Reflects the Artist | Why We Create

How This Class Develops Your Storytelling for Video Games

Start Learning Now

Story Masters Film Academy is an online education platform founded by screenwriting alumna Tara Stone and two JPCatholic faculty, Prof. Chris Riley and Prof. Nathan Scoggins. Story Masters offers online courses in screenwriting and directing for high school students; JPCatholic has partnered with Story Masters to make these two courses eligible toward transfer credit at JPCatholic.

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