As things now stand, screenwriting may be the most popular form of writing there is. If one seeks evidence for this claim, consider that there have been numerous books published about screenwriting, some of which are bestsellers and are now in multiple print editions. There are also any number of screenwriting contests, the main purpose of which is to give aspiring screenwriters an opportunity to launch a professional screenwriting career. Some of these screenwriting contests receive tens of thousands of entries annually. Lastly, a number of universities, some of them quite prestigious, have programs that are dedicated solely to writing for the screen. Clearly, these outlets exist because of a need, and that need is represented by lots of aspiring screenwriters.



People write screenplays for various reasons. Some people simply enjoy the process, and have no real intentions on pursuing a career. Some people will write a screenplay or two, and then never write another one. There are those who consistently write screenplays, hoping in many cases to establish a screenwriting career. The lure of a screenwriting career holds different things for different people, obviously: for some it's the prospect of working in glamorous Hollywood alongside famous celebrities; others hope to become rich; and then some just have a burning desire to create drama.

One element almost all professional screenwriters share is being committed to writing screenplays. It's vital to have this sort of commitment for at least a couple of reasons. Firstly, it takes time to learn to write screenplays at what's considered a professionally acceptable level. There is not set length of time for learning to write screenplays, but in most instances it takes years. The notion of a person taking up screenwriting and having a screenwriting career several months later is essentially unheard of. There are people who move to screenwriting from other writing forms, but typically they're established writers who've been writing for years.

The other reason for needing a sense of commitment is gaining entry. Unknown screenwriters are not given much consideration in the entertainment industry. To ultimately launch a screenwriting career typically takes significant perseverance: doors don't open easily for the unknown. There's also typically a lot of rejection to endure along the way. Becoming a professional screenwriter certainly isn't impossible, because people do it. The best policy with respect to a screenwriting career however is to go into the situation understanding it won't be easy. Those with the best hope for succeeding have both desire and ability.