The Winner of the Other Network Comedy Contest for 2009 is...

Richard Lucas
("Jim Hill's Double-Breasted Suit" Standup Performance)*

We are awarding honorable mentions to...
Mark Staufenberg ("Black Hitler" 30 Rock Spec)
Howie Kaplan ("Prince Barry" original pilot)
Abby Cohen ("Bad Habits" pilot for "Dr. & Mr." original pilot)
Austin Hice ("Sweet Dee Blows a Dog" It's Always Sunny... spec)
Matt Moskovciak & Ben Stadler ("Hope You Have a Dump Truck" video sketches)

We wish we had time to give individual notes because some of the submitted material was not bad. There were some good premises, but for a tv script to make any impact on us, a showrunner, agent or producer, especially in the chaotic state of the industry/economy/galaxy right now, the execution also has to be really really strong. The biggest general note we have: not funny enough. Not enough actual laughs. And structurally too many scripts petered out and didn't deliver any last act twists or a really satisfying finish.

Here, for your rewriting pleasure are 8 rewrite notes for any comedy script. Do yourself a favor and spend the extra time to make your writing really shine, even - especially - if you're going to go ahead and just greenlight it for production yourself.

If you're serious about comedy, you should really put your ears on at least a couple of episodes of The Other Network Writers Room, a series of in-depth interviews with top showrunners about the craft and business of comedy.

Please use our free advice and resources for writers, performers and other creatives at the Un-Cabaret blog and in the free downloads. And if you're in LA, come visit our Un-Cab Lab Writing & Performance Workshop for a mind-expanding demonstration of the power of the spoken word to supercharge any writing.

We really want your scripts to be good. Give us something to get excited about. Enter the Other Network Comedy Contest - next deadline: December 15.

Previous winners have had their work seen by agents at UTA and Metropolitan, managers at Brillstein-Grey, executives at Fox and Comedy Central, producers and award-winning TV creators. More info about the Other Network Comedy Contest.

* 2009 contest winner Richard Lucas has studied with us at the Un-Cab Lab Writing & Performance Workshop. We didn't give him any special treatment, but we also didn't feel it was right to penalize him for it in the face of such good work.