How To Become a Screenwriter

To become a screenwriter, study storytelling and film structure, practice writing scripts and build a portfolio. Network, attend workshops and submit work to contests or producers to help open doors to opportunities in the film and TV industry.

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Published on Jul 29, 2025

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  1. Motion Picture Association, Inc. (n.d.). Driving Local Economies. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  2. Indeed Editorial Team. (2025, June 9). What Does a Screenwriter Do? (With Salary and Guide). Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  3. Indeed Editorial Team. (2025, March 26). How To Become a Screenwriter or TV Writer (With FAQs). Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  4. Learn.org. (n.d.). How Do I Become a Screenplay Writer? Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  5. The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Writers and Authors, as of May 2024, retrieved June 24, 2025. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as Writers and Authors, nor does it reflect the earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.
  6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025, April 18). What Writers and Authors Do. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  7. COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2024, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Writers and Authors, retrieved June 24, 2025.
  8. Intelliminds. (2025, June 23). 13 Exciting Career Paths for Screenwriters To Explore. Greenlight Coverage. Retrieved June 24, 2025. 

Approved and verified accurate by the Digital Film Chair of the College of Arts and Media on July 14, 2025.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.

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