'The Young and the Restless' Head Writer Chuck Pratt: "I Never Want to Plan Things Out Too Carefully"

Charles Pratt Jr.

Tim Teeman from The Daily Beast recently visited the set of CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. His latest feature is a behind-the-scenes-look at the show, which includes a number interesting quotes, including from head writer/executive producer Chuck Pratt.

“I never want to plan things out too carefully; you need to let the story dictate how it twists and turns, always on the look-out for something different, surprising and emotionally compelling,” Pratt said.

“It’s the things you find in the middle that can explode a story, and those things usually come from certain ‘goals’ you set up. Many times I’ve started with the end of a story and worked backwards, ultimately timing the big reveals to correspond with sweeps periods, and an ultimate climax—and if you’re talking a perfect story, its ending is the next story’s beginning.”

Thinking what he calls “long story,” says Pratt, “is the ultimate joy of the job [alongside his co-head writer Tracey Thomson], the meringue on the pie! Just sit back, grab a few hours, a weekend, and spit-ball story.”

He tries to identify “a new character who is exploding… Our goal is to make them a pivotal part of a big story. Couples are another goal. Putting them together. Breaking them up. Giving them children. There is absolutely no formula to a successful story. My goal is to have story come out of character—and usually a successful character will almost dictate the story to us. They speak to us in our dreams!”

Read the entire story at thedailybeast.com.

RELATED:
- Chuck Pratt on Unhappy 'The Young and the Restless' Fans: "They Hate It But They're Watching"
- 'The Young and the Restless' EPs Chuck Pratt & Jill Farren Phelps on Two Jacks, Victor, Using African American Cast Members, A Gay Story for Kevin, and Copying Stories from Other Shows