Re: Why haven't you broken in yet?
If your definition of "making it" is having one of your screenplays actually produced, then the odds are slim to none -- sorry to say. There are too many variables that go into getting a movie made, even for the very best spec scripts. However, if you're talented, persistent and most of all, flexible, you can make it in some form of writing -- perhaps industrials, corporate videos or commercials.
You may even get real lucky and receive some feature assignments if you live in Los Angeles and acquire a really good agent and/or manager. But I wouldn't quit my day job to do screenwriting full time. It was mentioned here to look at past spec sales and see what sells (in terms of genre, story, etc.). I would say to take it a step further: look at spec sales by "first time writers" and see HOW they were sold. Most were sold via big agencies by writers that already had strong connections within the industry. For example, I've seen several cases where a former "executive" with a studio or large production company makes a sale to his or her former company. So if you live in Los Angeles and are really intent on becoming a screenwriter, maybe one possible way in is to get a job in the industry and keep writing on the side. However, even then it's extremely hard to get produced with an original spec these days.
If your definition of "making it" is having one of your screenplays actually produced, then the odds are slim to none -- sorry to say. There are too many variables that go into getting a movie made, even for the very best spec scripts. However, if you're talented, persistent and most of all, flexible, you can make it in some form of writing -- perhaps industrials, corporate videos or commercials.
You may even get real lucky and receive some feature assignments if you live in Los Angeles and acquire a really good agent and/or manager. But I wouldn't quit my day job to do screenwriting full time. It was mentioned here to look at past spec sales and see what sells (in terms of genre, story, etc.). I would say to take it a step further: look at spec sales by "first time writers" and see HOW they were sold. Most were sold via big agencies by writers that already had strong connections within the industry. For example, I've seen several cases where a former "executive" with a studio or large production company makes a sale to his or her former company. So if you live in Los Angeles and are really intent on becoming a screenwriter, maybe one possible way in is to get a job in the industry and keep writing on the side. However, even then it's extremely hard to get produced with an original spec these days.
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