The 49th Writers Guild of America Awards, given on 16 March 1997, honored the best writers of screen and television of 1996.
Film Best Original Screenplay Fargo - Joel and Ethan Coen † Jerry Maguire - Cameron Crowe Lone Star - John Sayles Secrets & Lies - Mike Leigh Shine - Jan Sardi and Scott Hicks
Best Adapted Screenplay Sling Blade - Billy Bob Thornton † Emma - Douglas McGrath The Birdcage - Elaine May The English Patient - Anthony Minghella Trainspotting - John Hodge
Television Best Episodic Drama Girl Talk - NYPD Blue - Theresa Rebeck and Bill Clark Aftershock - Law & Order - Janis Diamond and Michael S. Chernuchin Savages - Law & Order - Morgan Gendel, Barry M. Schkolnick and Michael S. Chernuchin Trophy - Law & Order - Jeremy R. Litman, Ed Zuckerman and Michael S. Chernuchin Pilot - Murder One - Charles H. Eglee, Channing Gibson, Steven Bochco and David Milch Falsies - Party of Five - Mark B. Perry Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose - The X Files - Darin Morgan
Best Episodic Comedy The Pool Guy - Seinfeld - David Mandel The Soup Nazi - Seinfeld - Spike Feresten The Sponge - Seinfeld - Peter Mehlman Eight - The Larry Sanders Show - Peter Tolan
References
† indicates the winners of the Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay.