# Literary material > A defined category of writer-created material under the WGA MBA that can include screenplays, teleplays, stories, treatments, and other covered writing. It is a contract term, not merely a synonym for prose. Also known as: MBA literary material, written literary material ## In practice Under the MBA, literary material is a defined contractual category used throughout compensation, credit, separated-rights, and delivery provisions. The exact category and treatment depend on the work and agreement. A screenplay, teleplay, story, treatment, or other written material may matter differently than a pitch, suggestion, or production communication. The WGA's AI rules make the distinction especially important: generative AI is not a writer, and no written material produced by traditional AI or GAI is literary material under the MBA. Separate rules say qualifying unpublished or unexploited company-furnished GAI material is not assigned material for compensation, source material for credits, or a basis for disqualifying a writer from separated rights. Keep dated, clearly labeled copies of what you write and submit. The WGA screen credits manual recommends retaining literary material and written suggestions because credit proceedings examine actual contributions. Save points can make that record easier to navigate, but product history is not a Guild filing, an authorship ruling, or a substitute for the materials required by an arbitration. ## Official sources & context Sources reviewed Jul 29, 2026 The MBA definition and credit rules control. This plain-language orientation does not classify a particular contribution. - [WGA — Artificial intelligence](https://www.wga.org/contracts/know-your-rights/artificial-intelligence) - [WGA — Screen credits manual](https://www.wga.org/contracts/credits/manuals/screen-credits-manual) ## Common questions ### Is every note or idea literary material? Not necessarily. Literary material is a defined MBA term, and the treatment of pitches, notes, suggestions, drafts, and revisions depends on the applicable provision and facts. ### Is AI-generated text literary material under the MBA? No. Current WGA guidance says written material produced by traditional AI or GAI cannot be literary material. Separate conditions govern whether company-furnished GAI material counts as assigned or source material or affects separated rights. ### Why should I keep labeled copies of my drafts? Dated, labeled material helps identify what was written and submitted at each stage. That can matter for credits and deal administration even though an app cannot decide the result. ## Related terms - [2026 WGA MBA](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/2026-wga-mba): The current Minimum Basic Agreement between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, effective May 2, 2026, with minimums and working protections for covered writing. - [AI-generated material](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/ai-generated-material): Text or other material produced by a generative-AI system. Under current WGA MBA rules, GAI is not a writer and its written output is not literary material; separate conditions govern assigned material, source material, and separated rights. - [Separated rights](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/separated-rights): Rights in original material that the WGA Basic Agreement separates from the copyright a company acquires and conveys to the writer — for a feature, publication and dramatic stage rights; for television, a wider set of reserved rights. - [WGA registration](https://www.inkwell.software/glossary/wga-registration): A paid WGAW Registry service that creates a dated record of submitted literary material. It can document when a draft existed, but it is not federal copyright registration and does not prevent copying. - [Read the pillar guide](https://www.inkwell.software/learn/wga-aware-screenwriting-workflows): A longer guide for this workflow --- Canonical page: