Lucas and McCallum interviewed over 200 prospective writers for the series from all over the world—including England, the United States, Paris, Prague, Budapest, and Australia. According to McCallum, Lucas was looking for "writers of real signifigance". Writers of the Star Wars books and comics were considered as part of the final interview process in September. Reportedly, writers were also considered from Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, and Lost. Former Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies was asked to write for the show, but turned it down due to wanting to start his own projects in a different style to both franchises, though he did say he would be very jealous when he found out who was hired.
The interview process was supposedly finished by September 2007, with the story outlines taking shape over the next three months after that. In the end, six writers were hired and were expected to start work in November 2007. A writing conference was scheduled for late 2007, and sessions had began by August 2008. The entire first season will be written, then filmed, before soliciting the first season, working on the following seasons once it has a home. The first season's scripts are currently being written. The writers worked with the art department, which has been working to design sets, environments, vehicles and aliens since 2007. As of September 2010, 50 hours worth of episodes plus a "movie-of-the-week" had been written.
