How Much Money Does a Screenwriter Make? Industry Insider Doug Richardson Reveals the Range

The competition for screenwriting for movies or TV writing jobs is fierce, but you already knew that. It’s a cool job, and it’s rewarding to watch your own words come to life on screen, and that’s why so many people want the gig. But is it rewarding monetarily? The answer is yes. And no.
“Screenwriters can make as little as $25,000 to $30,000 a year doing very small jobs,” said screenwriter and author Doug Richardson. “If they’re members of the WGA, they can make millions of dollars a year.” He would know because he’s come up through the industry ranks with scripts for “Hostage,” starring Bruce Willis, and “Bad Boys” starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
If you’re a member of the Writer’s Guild of America union, you’ll be guaranteed certain wages and paycheck timelines, but most writers still don’t count on a steady paycheck. You may sell one script, ever.
Want something more reliable? TV writers typically stick with a show for months or even years. It’s less of a “one and done” situation. Or, if you’re really great at your job, and you don’t mind working on someone else’s story, screenwriters can make a good amount of money as script polishers.
“It’s called the Golden Handcuffs in Hollywood,” Doug explained. “Being a rewrite expert, who is so in demand, they just keep throwing you hundreds of thousands of dollars per week to work on this movie and work on that movie and polish that script. And once actors know you’re the writer that did the polish on that movie, they want you to come in and do the polish on their movie, and that polish is two or three weeks, and yeah, you can make a million dollars out of that.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the median, though, is $28.50 per hour for most writers in the arts and entertainment industry. That could include writers for TV, film, video games, comics, and more. If you work fulltime, that amounts to just over $59,000 per year. It’s a good wage in many places, but probably not enough to retire on in Hollywood.
“And the rest? You can do the math,” Doug said. “There’s a low-side and an up-side, and the up-side is up!”
Here’s hoping you find the up-side.
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