Editing The Simpsons (section)

===Writing===
{{Main|List of The Simpsons writers}}
The first team of writers, assembled by Sam Simon, consisted of [[John Swartzwelder]], [[Jon Vitti]], [[George Meyer]], [[Jeff Martin (writer)|Jeff Martin]], [[Al Jean]], [[Mike Reiss]], [[Jay Kogen]], and [[Wallace Wolodarsky]].{{sfn|Ortved|2009 |p=58}} Newer ''Simpsons''{{'}} writing teams typically consist of sixteen writers who propose episode ideas at the beginning of each December.<ref>{{cite news |first=Gail |last=Mitchell |title=Mike Scully |publisher=Ultimate TV |date=January 24, 1999}}</ref> The main writer of each episode writes the first draft. Group rewriting sessions develop final scripts by adding or removing jokes, inserting scenes, and calling for re-readings of lines by the show's vocal performers.<ref name="meyer">{{cite news |first=David |last=Owen |title=Taking Humor Seriously |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=March 13, 2000}}</ref> Until 2004,{{sfn|Ortved|2009 |p=199}} George Meyer, who had developed the show since the first season, was active in these sessions. According to long-time writer Jon Vitti, Meyer usually invented the best lines in a given episode, even though other writers may receive script credits.<ref name="meyer"/> Each episode takes approximately six months to produce, so the show rarely comments on current events.<ref>{{cite news |first=Geoff |last=Nixon |title=Mmmmmm&nbsp;... pop culture |work=[[The Silhouette (newspaper)|The Silhouette]] |date=March 4, 2004}}</ref>
[[File:Simpsons writers2.jpg|right|upright=1.364|thumb|Part of the writing staff of ''The Simpsons'' in 1992. Back row, left to right: Mike Mendel, Colin A. B. V. Lewis (partial), Jeff Goldstein, [[Al Jean]] (partial), [[Conan O'Brien]], [[Bill Oakley]], [[Josh Weinstein]], [[Mike Reiss]], Ken Tsumura, [[George Meyer]], [[John Swartzwelder]], [[Jon Vitti]] (partial), CJ Gibson, and [[David M. Stern]]. Front row, left to right: Dee Capelli, [[Lona Williams]], and unknown.]]

Credited with sixty episodes, John Swartzwelder is the most prolific writer on ''The Simpsons''.{{sfn|Turner|2004|p=21}} One of the best-known former writers is [[Conan O'Brien]], who contributed to several episodes in the early 1990s before replacing [[David Letterman]] as host of the talk show ''[[Late Night with Conan O'Brien|Late Night]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/icing-simpsons-cake-2511538 |title=The icing on the Simpsons' cake |access-date=January 15, 2022|date=January 4, 2005 |last=McGinty |first=Stephen |work=[[The Scotsman]] |location=Edinburgh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022093031/http://www.scotsman.com/news/the-icing-on-the-simpsons-cake-1-670191 |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> English comedian [[Ricky Gervais]] wrote the episode "[[Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife]]", becoming the first celebrity both to  write and guest star in the same episode.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4120569.stm |title=Gervais writing Simpsons episode |work=BBC News Online |date=December 23, 2004 |access-date=December 29, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061220061036/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4120569.stm |archive-date=December 20, 2006 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Seth Rogen]] and [[Evan Goldberg]], writers of the film ''[[Superbad]]'', wrote the episode "[[Homer the Whopper]]", with Rogen voicing a character in it.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rogen gets a dream gig: 'Simpsons' writer, voice |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-09-23-rogen-simpsons_N.htm | last=Keveney | first = Bill |work=[[USA Today]] |date=September 23, 2009 |access-date=September 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025121029/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2009-09-23-rogen-simpsons_N.htm |archive-date=October 25, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the end of 2007, the writers of ''The Simpsons'' [[2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike|went on strike]] together with the other members of the [[Writers Guild of America, East]]. The show's writers had joined the guild in 1998.<ref>{{cite news|title=Why SpongeBob is sitting out the writers strike |access-date=January 9, 2008 |date=December 23, 2007 |last=Munoz | first= Lorenza |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/12/23/1223writerstrike.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071226152155/http://www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/other/12/23/1223writerstrike.html |archive-date=December 26, 2007 }}</ref>

In May 2023, the writers of ''The Simpsons'' [[2023 Writers Guild of America strike|went on strike]] together with the other members of the Writers Guild of America, East.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 7, 2023 |title=The Simpsons Season 35: Renewal, Cast & Everything We Know |url=https://screenrant.com/simpsons-season-35-updates-cast-news/ |access-date=June 11, 2023 |website=[[Screen Rant]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Simpsons Writer Addresses WGA Strike Amid Hollywood Fallout |url=https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/the-simpsons-writers-strike-wga-explained/ |access-date=June 11, 2023 |website=TV Shows |date=May 4, 2023 |language=en}}</ref>