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The Appeal Of Screenwriting

By Zinn Jeremiah

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Published: 06Nov2007
Word count: 518
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Screenwriting is likely the most popular form of creative writing there is. The novel at one time was king in creative writing, but novel writing lacks the glamour that writing for movies or television does, and novels are usually very long writes besides. Playwriting has its enthusiasts to be sure, but it draws far less interest than screenwriting does. So why does screenwriting have the appeal it does? There are two reasons at least.

The primary appeal to screenwriting, to some degree or another, has to be the prospect of working in the movies. The movie industry in the United States is exceptionally high profile and has an air of glamour and prestige about it. Some of the people who work in the United States movie industry are known, literally, throughout the world and are sometimes treated as though they’re exceptionally important. Being a part of an industry that provides access to this sort of acclaim and VIP treatment is very appealing and many people pursue it, whether as screenwriters or in some other form.

It’s a rare thing for any person working in the film industry to find a high degree of celebrity however. Fame must be an exclusive club, because if everyone were in it then no one would really be famous. Of the people who work in the film industry, actors are the most likely to become celebrities, by a wide margin. The obvious reason for this is that actors are visible: they’re on the screen and get seen by everyone watching. It’s quite unusual for a screenwriter to become any form of celebrity. For a screenwriter to acquire a degree of widespread notoriety would require the screenwriter to have been the primary writer on any number of commercially successful films television shows, and to be outspoken or otherwise controversial. This has happened in the past, but again, it’s unusual.

Another appeal to screenwriting is the prospect for earning large sums of money. The highest paid screenwriters in the United States movie industry can earn in the vicinity of five million dollars for one script. Naturally, earning this type of money would appeal to many people. The problem is that only five or so screenwriters are making this type of salary. Most screenwriters who are able to find work are probably earning less than one hundred thousand dollars per year, and probably quite a bit less than one hundred thousand dollars. Any salary earned as a screenwriter as well is not guaranteed from one year to the next: screenwriters cannot rely on earning a regular salary. What a screenwriter makes in one year is in no way ensured for the following year.

While it is possible to experience glamour and fame, and to earn substantial amounts of money, working as a screenwriter, this is not the norm. The film industry as a whole is an extremely competitive industry and one that can be quite harsh. This isn’t to say that one shouldn’t pursue a career as a screenwriter, only that the pursuit should happen with eyes wide open.

Zinn Jeremiah is a freelance writer. To read more of Zinn's writings, visit article exchange. For screenwriting resources, visit screenplay writing.

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