As any aspiring screenwriter knows, the process of writing a movie script isn’t easy. But if you break it down into its discrete parts—the type of script, a strong premise, solid plot ...

But how many job seekers actually write out a script for themselves? Not many! They may fear sounding wooden or robotic in the interview. Or they suspect they’ll panic if they forget their lines.

So to help launch Variety‘s new “Hollywood How-To” video series on writing a script, we asked Lindelof to talk through some of his process as a television writer. Here’s what he had to say.

Punch up your jokes. There’s an old adage that says “writing is rewriting.” Trust us, it’ll be worth it once you have a solid sitcom script! Sitcoms need jokes. After all, it’s a comedy.

We worked to create a cohesive signing style for this family, and our rehearsals became a language lab ... I excavated my own writing in a way I never had before, and my script had become a ...

Two of the best films of the season, The Lunchbox and The Good Road, emerged from creative incubators at a script lab. For an inexperienced scriptwriter, the mentoring these labs offer is priceless.