Hey everyone! In the spirit of this weekend, I'm reintroducing myself.
I just joined Stage 32 a few weeks ago, and have been writing for five and a half years total so far (I took a short time off from writing a couple of years in to focus on being a stay-at-home dad to my then two-year-old daughter). I write strictly comedy.
My personal brand logline is: "A recovering 'gifted and talented' underachiever, I write sharp, grounded comedies with an absurdist bent about outsiders struggling to overcome their pasts." (By the way, please don't ever put that label on a kid--nothing good comes of it ha ha!) If my voice were a show, picture the tone of Mom combined with the humor of Modern Family.
I've written five comedy pilots so far, and just started working on number six. I'm happy to have had some good returns in contests so far (including being a Finalist in the Stage 32 TV Comedy Contest), and look to build on that year after year, script after script.
My goal as a writer is to get repped, sell my pilots, and become a consistently working writer. My ultimate goal is to see my pilots (why stop at just one?) turned into series. It would make the guy who came in second place to me for "Most Humorous" in our high school senior superlatives so jealous, which in the end, is really all that counts.
I'd love to connect and network and meet etc. fellow writers who are in it for the long haul, and simply love storytelling. Best of luck to everyone on your writing journey!
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Hola, Mike O'Neill! Fantastic personal brand logline! I need to update mine. Congratulations on starting your sixth pilot and the good returns in contests! Did you watch The 'Burbs TV show?
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Congrats on being a finalist in our Stage 32 contest / that is not an easy thing to do! What are some of the comedies that inspire you and your writing?
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Maurice Vaughan Thanks, man! No, I haven't caught that show yet.
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Amanda Toney Hi, Amanda! Thank you for that! Comedies that really stand out to me are Psych, Modern Family, Mom, Schitt's Creek, Trailer Park Boys, Abbott Elementary, and anything that Ricky Gervais has put out. I know it's old at this point, but Frasier is one of the best multi-cams EVER in my mind. It had such sharp punchiness to its jokes, and has been a huge inspiration to me.
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You're welcome, Mike O'Neill. The 'Burbs is hilarious! Abbott Elementary is too! I watched Frasier growing up. I think I was too young to get it. The other shows you named are on my watch list.
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Welcome, Mike O'Neill ! Congrats on being a finalist too!
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William Joseph Hill Thanks, man! I appreciate it.
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a great introduction Mike - jealous that you have so many pilots to work with - I currently only have one
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I have a ton of respect for comedy writers. In my opinion it is the most difficult type of story to write. I wrote a comedy pilot last year that I'm testing the waters with, and while I love comedy, I struggle mightily that punch up my work. Good stuff, Mike!
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Very solid IY post, Mike O'Neill. And as others have said, congratulations on all the progress. I know you've only been here a short time, but I'm hopeful you're feeling all the support we all need as creatives.
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Richard "RB" Botto Thanks, RB!
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Most welcome, my friend!
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Hi Mike O'Neill, so glad you reintroduced yourself. I’m Ashley, Head of Community here at Stage 32, and I love that you’re leaning fully into your comedy lane.
First of all, five pilots with a sixth underway, plus a Finalist placement in the Stage 32 TV Comedy Contest, that’s incredible! Congratulations! If you’re serious about building year over year and positioning yourself for representation, I’d strongly encourage regular activity in the Screenwriting Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting). The more consistently you engage in craft conversations, share insights, and support others, the more visibility and organic relationships you build. That long-game networking you mentioned really does compound here.
When you’re ready to take strategic steps toward reps and selling your pilots, our Success Team can help guide you toward curated resources and introductions aligned with your goals. You can reach them anytime at Success@Stage32.com. They’re a great bridge between strong material and industry-facing opportunity.
I’d also love to invite you to my FREE February Community Open House next week. I’ll be walking through how to use Stage 32 intentionally to build traction, grow your network, and position yourself for exactly the kind of career you’re aiming for:
https://www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32s-february-2026-commu...
Really excited to see where pilot number six takes you.
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Ashley Renée Smith Hi, Ashley. Thanks so much for all the advice, insight and encouraging words!
I look forward to growing a network of committed screenwriters, and engaging in the lounges.
The Success Team sounds like a particularly exciting resource!
I was hoping to attend the Community Open House, but it is unfortunately taking place at a time I can't make here on the East Coast. I assume the whole point is to attend live, correct? Will there be a recording made available?
Thanks again for all your help and the warm welcome, I really appreciate it!