What Do You Need to Make a Living as a Screenwriter?

Jim Agnew is a director, writer, and producer known for his collaborations with Dario Argento. His scripts have featured Oscar-winning actors like Adrien Brody and Nicolas Cage, with projects landing at Lionsgate, ABC, Blumhouse, and Sony.

Initially, Agnew saved money for a year to fully dedicate himself to screenwriting, and his second script earned him a paycheck.

In a conversation with Film Courage, he shared invaluable screenwriting advice that aspiring writers often overlook. Here are his top tips for anyone aiming to make a living as a screenwriter.

1. Be Realistic About Your Endgame

Agnew addresses a common pitfall for new screenwriters: unrealistic expectations.

“You’ve got to be realistic. You have to look at the steps involved. What is your endgame? Do you want to get a movie made? Is it a small movie? What kind of movie is it? Are you writing a studio-type script? Are you writing a small, intimate thing that can be made for half a million dollars?” he said.

Attempting to write a massive studio blockbuster as a beginner means competing in a tough arena.

“If it’s a John Wick movie, that means you have to sell it through the studio system,” he added. “That’s very hard to break into until you are working at a certain level. It does happen, but you usually have to work your way up. All of a sudden, you’re not up for these gigantic jobs of writing $100 million films.”

Understand the game you’re playing and plan accordingly.

2. Keep Refining Your Craft

Agnew bluntly distinguishes working writers from wannabes. He told Film Courage:

“My advice would be just keep working, but work on your craft, because people don’t do that. They don’t take the time to actually keep rewriting and learning to write. They write one thing, and they think, ‘Here it is, world!’ That’s why it doesn’t get made, and then they get frustrated.”

The harsh reality is that most first scripts aren’t good enough. Agnew emphasizes the importance of writing multiple samples and constantly improving.

Be mindful of your page count, too, and edit your work down where possible, because “no one should write a script over 115 pages unless you’re Quentin Tarantino or Paul Thomas Anderson,” according to Agnew. Most studio scripts will be around 105-110 pages.

3. You Have to Be in the Game

Geography plays a vital role in Hollywood, and Agnew doesn’t sugarcoat it.

“Being in LA is a big part of it, too. It really is. Unfortunately, it’s hard to become a professional screenwriter when you’re in Missouri or somewhere, because of the connections you make and people you meet,” he said.

One breakthrough came from a chance encounter, he recounted.

“I ran into a friend of mine who’s a big producer at the Coffee Bean one day. I hadn’t seen her in a while, and she said, ‘What are you working on?’ I go, ‘Well, we got this zombie thing.’ And she goes, ‘Call me later.’ And then we got paid to write it for a huge company.”

While the town has evolved since Agnew offered this advice, the necessity of networking remains. It doesn’t always have to be Los Angeles. Attend film festivals as a guest or volunteer if possible. Engage with your local writing or production communities. Opportunities exist everywhere.

4. Limit Your Writing Hours

Agnew describes his writing routine as limited and structured.

“Probably like three or four [hours],” he said of his writing time. “I think after four hours, you get a little bit [of] diminished returns. Now that doesn’t mean the other five or six hours a day I’m not thinking about the writing. But physically sitting there behind the keyboard, usually you try to limit to four hours, because after four hours … you’re not sharp. Why keep writing?”

His method involves preparation instead.

“When I write, I don’t touch the keyboard until I’ve figured out the whole first act, the second-act turn,” he said. “I can sit down one day and write 20 pages, but I’ve thought about it for two or three weeks, and maybe just wrote out the beats, what’s going to happen.”

Work smarter, not harder.

5. Be Patient

Agnew’s most significant advice is to have a serious commitment to writing.

“If you’re determined and you want to take 10 years of your life working super hard to get somewhere, you can get somewhere. You can get some movies made. You can do it for a living, but you have to really buckle down.”

That’s the timeline he’s discussing. For those willing to put in the effort, learn the craft, and be strategic, success is achievable. Just remember, it might not happen overnight. Keep pushing!