Dick Nelson was a professional writer his entire career.

He began writing radio shows in the early 1950s, then relocated with his family to Los Angeles in the mid-1950s when television became more popular.

He began writing westerns such as Wagon Train and Gunsmoke, then branched out to police and detective shows, medical dramas, and family sagas such as Dynasty. Other credits include episodes of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Wonder Woman, and Murder, She Wrote. The internet movie database IMDB lists over 60 series that he wrote for. He was also known as a talented script doctor, editing and improving scripts of other writers.