Sheffer is perhaps best known for his stint as Head Writer of the CBS Daytime dramaAs the World Turns from 2000 to 2005. When Procter & Gamble, the company that produces As the World Turns, hired Sheffer, it came as a surprise to both industry figures and viewers. Some fans became concerned when, in an interview, he admitted he had never seen As the World Turns or sister soap Guiding Light before he was asked to watch them. P&G gave Sheffer a choice of which show he'd like to write for, and although he commented that ATWT had been "boring as hell", he saw potential in the show.
Praise
Sheffer's take on As the World Turns, an aging show in one of the oldest genres in television, was seen by some as reinvigorating the program. During Sheffer's writing regime, the show won many Daytime Emmy Awards; Sheffer and his team received four Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team in 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005. ATWT 's loss in 2003 was blamed on technical difficulties with their Emmy reel, as the clips judges watched had either bad or no sound and were tinted green. Also, Sheffer became a favorite of reporters for his comical one-liners.
Criticism
Sheffer's writing style alienated a number of longtime fans of ATWT, who complained that he rewrote characters to suit the purposes of a given storyline. In particular, he and his team were criticized for departing from history and/or established character motivation and behavior. While some storylines for veteran characters worked well, others seemed inappropriate for the character, like Margo's flirtation with misogynistic football player Doc. Throughout its run, As the World Turns had perhaps the largest group of veterans still active in the cast; during the Sheffer's tenure, a dozen actors were on contract to the show who had been with the show for 20 or more years. Some of the veteran actors on the show also complained that their characters' airtime diminished dramatically during Sheffer's tenure.
Departure from ''ATWT''
In March 2005, Sheffer took what was referred to a "17-week sabbatical" from ATWT, at which time other writers like Leah Laiman, Christopher Whitesell, and Jean Passanante took over. P&G initially indicated that he would return at the end of his sabbatical, but announced a few weeks later that Sheffer would not be returning to his position as Head Writer; the company promoted Jean Passanante to the position permanently. Reasons for his leave and subsequent firing were unclear. There were suggestions that Sheffer was ill; there were also suggestions that he had taken a leave to undergo gastric bypass surgery. However, no statements confirming the reason for his leave were made. Before being placed on a 17-week sabbatical, Sheffer was unhappy at ATWT, as a planned two-year storyline was cut short by higher-ups. When he won his fourth Daytime Emmy for ATWT in 2005, he did not attend the ceremony. Jean Passanante accepted the award. Passanante thanked Sheffer for "his big heart and brilliant imagination" and said the entire writing staff at the show would "miss him". In 2002, when Richard Culliton was fired from the ABC Daytime soap operaAll My Children, it was speculated that Sheffer would leave ATWT to take over that soap. After Sheffer was fired in 2005, speculation again circulated that Sheffer would head to One Life to Live to join Dena Higley as head writer, or to help out the low-rated Guiding Light as an Executive Consultant. ATWT fans were shocked when in the summer of 2005, Sheffer was asked to return as head writer. He declined, but agreed to take a lesser position on the writing staff, much like Leah Laiman did in early 2005 when she returned to writing for the show. In October 2005, Sheffer returned to ATWT as a breakdown writer. Sheffer stated that his favorite serials on ABC Daytime and CBS Daytime are General Hospital and As the World Turns.
''Days of Our Lives''
On June 12, 2006, Sheffer confirmed he was joining Days of Our Lives as the new Head Writer with Meg Kelly Sheffer's stories began airing in October 2006. Sheffer's last episode aired January 24, 2008. Sheffer appeared with DAYS star Mary Beth Evans on the SOAPnet show I Wanna Be a Soap Star in 2007.
''The Young and the Restless''
On May 21, 2008, it was announced that Sheffer had joined The Young and the Restless as co-Head Writer. He worked closely with Maria Arena Bell and Scott Hamner. His episodes began airing July 15, 2008 In late July 2012 due to the firings of Maria Arena Bell and Scott Hamner, it was announced that Sheffer's contract was up as of that November, and it wouldn't be extended. He remained credited as co-head writer on air shows until February 1, 2013.
Positions held
As the World Turns
Associate Head Writer: October 25, 2005 - August 9, 2006
