Screenwriters

Employment for writers who work in the motion picture and sound recording industries is expected to grow by 10.7 percent from 2023 through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. This is much faster than the average for all careers. Job opportunities for writers at television broadcasting stations is expected to decline by 0.8 percent during this time span.

There is intense competition in the television and motion picture industries. As the movie industry grows, cable television expands, and digital technology allows for more programming via streaming platforms, new opportunities will emerge. Television networks continue to need new material and new episodes for long-running series. Studios are always looking for new angles on action, adventure, horror, and comedy, and especially romantic comedy stories. The demand for new screenplays should increase slightly in the next decade, but the number of screenwriters is growing at a faster rate. Writers will continue to find opportunities in advertising agencies and educational and training video production houses.

Generative artificial intelligence may someday replace the work of screenwriters in some settings, but no current technology can yet match their creativity and ingenuity, as well as the depth of their human experience that fuels film and television stories.