Emmy Writing nominees gathered at the Television Academy to celebrate their fellow nominees Wednesday evening ahead of the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

“Mr. Robot” outstanding writing for a drama series nominee Sam Esmail shared that the recognition was unexpected.

“I mean it’s beyond an honor. Obviously we didn’t expect any of this a year ago. It’s humbling. It’s such a weird little show and we explore really dark things and the way it’s worked out is a shock, a welcome shock, but a shock nonetheless,” he said.

Although the show is currently in its second season, Esmail already has the future for the series planned out.

“Initially this was supposed to be a feature-length film and so I know where we’re going and the ending, so probably about four or five seasons. I like to know where we’re going and where we’re heading. I think it’s tougher if it’s open ended, my brain doesn’t work like that but hats off to those who do,” he said.

For D.V. DeVincentis, who is nominated for outstanding writing for a limited series for “The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” this nomination reflects the effort put forth in developing a story.

“It was challenging because we were trying to do different things. We were trying to offer new things that people didn’t already know, but also that undercurrent of the issues that are going on right now,” said DeVincentis.

DeVincentis, who is also an executive producer on the anthology series, thinks that so far the second season of “American Crime Story,” which deals with Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans, is a tougher event to tackle.

“It’s more of a challenge. There’s more to wrestle with because it’s the whole country–a whole town, a state. There’s so much there, but that was true with ‘O.J.’ So many people wrote so much about it. A lot of different material and information and a great challenge to get it across grammatically as a show,” he said.

The 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcasted live Sept. 18 at 7p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC.