The Simpsons has earned a reputation for being prophetic with its uncanny predictions of the future, but when you’ve written enough stories to produce more than 800 episodes over nearly four decades, something is bound to come true — or at least that’s what Emmy-winning comedy writer Bill Odenkirk told communication students in class this spring.
Odenkirk visited Mardia Bishop’s undergraduate course CMN 361: Storytelling as oral communication to share insights from his long writing career in the TV and film industry. The Illinois native wanted to become a scientist from a young age, even going on to earn a PhD in chemistry from the University of Chicago before joining his brother Bob Odenkirk in Hollywood, where he would go on to work as a writer and producer on shows like The Simpsons, Futurama, Tenacious D, Mr. Show with Bob and David, and more.
“Writing is lying with a purpose,” he told students.
Drawing from his storied career, Odenkirk shared tips on how to create a good story, from coming up with an idea to developing a rough draft and getting feedback, rewriting, and editing ruthlessly until it shines.