If you’ve ever sat in front of a blank screen trying to figure out how to get a script or a pitch deck into the hands of the people behind Law & Order, you know the feeling of staring into a void. It's frustrating. Honestly, the process for a law and order submission is nothing like what you see in those "how to break into Hollywood" TikToks. It is a rigid, gated, and often misunderstood machine that has been running since Dick Wolf first put pen to paper in the late eighties.
Most people think they can just find an email for Wolf Entertainment, attach a PDF, and wait for the phone to ring. That doesn’t happen. Ever.
The Reality of the Law and Order Submission Process
The "Law & Order" franchise—including SVU and OC—operates under a very specific set of legal protocols. Because these shows often pull "from the headlines," the legal department is absolutely terrified of unsolicited material. Why? Because if you send a script about a tech mogul's murder and they happen to be filming a similar episode, you could sue them for copyright infringement. To protect themselves, they have a strict "no unsolicited submissions" policy.
This means your law and order submission basically needs a gatekeeper. You need a literary agent or a recognized manager. Without that letterhead, your email is deleted before it’s even opened. It’s not personal; it’s just the legal reality of a billion-dollar procedural empire.
Why the "Spec Script" is Actually Dead
Back in the day, writers wrote "specs" of existing shows. You’d write an episode of SVU to prove you could capture Olivia Benson’s voice. Nowadays, showrunners like David Graziano or the team over at Law & Order: Organized Crime aren't looking for you to mimic them. They want original pilots. They want to see how you build a world from scratch.
If you're trying to make a law and order submission today, your "spec" is actually an original sample that proves you understand the "procedural engine." That’s the industry term for the mechanics of how a crime is discovered, investigated, and prosecuted within 42 minutes.
What the Writers' Room Actually Wants
I’ve talked to several people who have sat in those rooms. The energy is intense. You aren't just a writer; you're a researcher. For a successful law and order submission, you have to demonstrate that you can handle the "Order" side of the title just as well as the "Law" side.
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Can you write a convincing courtroom scene that doesn't feel like a lecture? Can you make the discovery of a body feel fresh after thirty seasons? That’s where most people fail. They focus too much on the "twist" and not enough on the procedure.
- The Hook: It has to happen in the first two pages.
- The Procedural Beat: Real detectives (like the ones who consult for the show) should be able to read it without scoffing.
- The Moral Ambiguity: This is the secret sauce. The best episodes leave the audience feeling a bit uneasy about the verdict.
The Myth of the "From the Headlines" Pitch
People always ask if they can submit a news story for a law and order submission. "I saw this crazy story in the news, they should do an episode on it!"
Here is the truth: The writers are already reading the same news you are. They have staff researchers whose entire job is to clip articles from the New York Post, The New York Times, and obscure legal blogs. Simply pointing at a news story isn't a submission. You have to provide the spin. How does that news story challenge the characters we already know? If it doesn't challenge Benson or Cosgrove, it isn't a story for them.
The Legal Barriers You Can't Ignore
If you somehow find a way to bypass an agent, you’ll encounter the "Submission Release Form." This is a terrifying document. It basically says that by making a law and order submission, you acknowledge that the production company might already be working on something identical and you waive your right to sue.
Most amateurs refuse to sign it because they are protective of their "genius" idea. Professionals sign it without blinking. That’s the difference. If you want to play in the big leagues of procedural television, you have to accept that ideas are cheap. Execution is everything.
Where to Actually Send Your Work
Since you can't mail it to the studio, where does a law and order submission go?
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- The Black List: Not the show, but the website. Many procedural showrunners look at the top-rated scripts here to find new talent.
- Diversity Fellowships: NBC (the home of Law & Order) has the "NBC TV Writers Program." This is arguably the most direct way to get your work seen by the people who hire for these rooms.
- The Networking Route: It sounds cliché, but most writers get in because they were a Writer's Assistant or a PA on a similar show.
Misconceptions About Writing for Dick Wolf
There's this idea that the writing is "easy" because it follows a formula. That is a total lie. Writing within a rigid formula is actually much harder than writing a "vibey" indie movie. You have a limited amount of time to establish stakes, introduce five suspects, provide three red herrings, and have a trial.
When you prepare a law and order submission, you are being judged on your efficiency. Can you give a character a personality with just two lines of dialogue? Because that’s all the "Guest Star" gets before the detectives move on to the next lead.
Breaking Down the "DNA" of a Submission
If you analyze the scripts that actually get writers hired on these shows, they share a specific DNA. It’s a mix of clinical coldness and deep emotional resonance.
- The Cold Open: Usually 3-5 pages. Ends with the discovery of the crime.
- The Investigation: Fast-paced, heavy on "walk and talks."
- The Pivot: The moment the detectives realize the first suspect is innocent.
- The Prosecution: This is where the philosophy happens.
If your law and order submission sample is 60 pages of people talking in a living room, it’s going in the trash. The show is about movement. It’s about New York City. It’s about the system.
The Role of Technical Consultants
Did you know the show employs real-life legal and police consultants? Your law and order submission doesn't need to be 100% legally accurate—it's TV, after all—but it needs to be plausible. If your characters are doing DNA tests in five minutes, you’ve lost the audience. Realism is a currency in this world.
Actionable Steps for Your Law and Order Submission
Stop looking for a "submissions@wolfentertainment.com" email. It doesn't exist. Instead, focus on these three things to actually get your work noticed by the procedural elite.
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1. Write a Procedural Pilot, Not a Spec
Create your own world. Write a pilot about a specialized unit in a city other than New York. This shows you can handle the structure without being a "fan-fiction" writer. This original work is what your agent will use as your law and order submission when a staff writer position opens up.
2. Target the Right Representation
Look at the credits of recent Law & Order episodes. Look up the writers on IMDb Pro. See who represents them. Agencies like CAA, UTA, and Verve are the big players, but smaller boutiques often have better luck with mid-level writers trying to break into "the room."
3. Use the NBCU Launch Program
Check the deadlines for the NBCU Launch TV Writers Program. This is the official pipeline. They provide a clear, legal path for your law and order submission to be read by executives who actually have the power to hire you.
4. Master the "Page 10" Rule
In the world of procedurals, if the stakes haven't escalated significantly by page 10, the reader is bored. Go through your script. Count the pages. If you’re still introducing characters’ backstories on page 15, cut it. The crime is the main character.
5. Understand the "Voice"
Watch five episodes of the original Law & Order and five episodes of SVU. Note the difference in tone. The original is colder, more intellectual. SVU is more emotional and character-driven. Decide which "voice" your law and order submission is targeting and lean into it.
The industry is tough, and the Wolf Entertainment world is particularly guarded. But they are always looking for people who can tell a story within the lines. If you can prove you’re a master of the procedural engine, the gatekeepers will eventually let you in. Just don't forget to get that agent first.