A lot of the awkward experience scenes are taken from real life situations that the writer and Aidy have had. Specifically the opening scene in the first episode regarding the trainer was taken from an experience Aidy herself had.
Series costume designer Amanda Needham and her team had to make most of Annie's costumes from scratch. She noted in interviews that this was very reflective of how heavy-set women are treated in the United States: "Once you get to a certain size, people sort of want you to disappear." She said that star Aidy Bryant warned her early on that clothing choices would be limited and would often be lacking in quality, based on her own experiences. Needham based some of Annie's style off of Bryant's own tastes, and worked to show her in garments that had structure and visual panache.
The book by Lindy West on which this show is based was first published in May, 2016, by Hachette. The book is a non-fiction work.
It was Hulu's decision to end the show on season 3. The creators were told in the middle of shooting it, so they could wrap up the story.
The alternative weekly newspaper where Annie is employed, The Weekly Thorn, is often assumed by fans to be based on The Stranger, the renowned free weekly publication for Seattle, Washington. Lindy West said in interviews that Annie's experiences are only marginally based on her time at The Stranger, and has stressed that Annie's boss Gabe (played by John Cameron Mitchell) is definitely not based on her Stranger boss, Dan Savage.