I am interested in becoming a screenwriter but I can't decide if I want to write for tv or movies. It seems like being a tv writer would be a more stable career choice (you get paid for x amount of weeks and may be brought back for multiple seasons) whereas someone who writes features would have to sell script after script to make a consistent income. But perhaps I've got the wrong idea? Also do you think it's more difficult to be a successful tv writer than an independent screenwriter? Thanks in advance for any advice. Your blog is very informative and it's nice to be able to ask these questions anonymously tbh
Many film writers rely on assignment work for a livable income. There’s often gigs available where producers need to hire somebody to pen a script and/or treatment, or do a rewrite, etc. That being said, one is often up against multiple other writers for assignment gigs and ya gotta jump through some hoops and do the free labor of creating a pitch and developed idea, and then hope you actually land the job.
A lot of writers usually do a combo of hustling original specs + doing assignment work.
Meanwhile TV, while seemingly a more steady job once you have a decent gig (if the show lasts)... has its downsides as well.
There’s lotsa pros and cons to both, to be honest. This is a great breakdown of some:
https://johnaugust.com/2003/film-vs-tv-writers
And of course there’s writers like myself who have interest in both, but on the TV side it’s more as a creator than a staff writer. So while I have 2 films in development, I also have a pilot being shopped with a major production company attached, and another tv concept going out to try to find a home next month, amongst other things.
So I’m personally focused mostly on churning out and selling original content - for both film and tv.
But everybody is different. Gotta find your own interests and groove. Good luck, either way!
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