What Is a Freelance Script Writer and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

As a freelance script writer, your duties vary somewhat depending on the needs of your clients, though for the most part you focus on the writing and editing of scripts for video productions. You can write and pitch a screenplay to an agent, who will attempt to sell it to a film production studio, television studio, or other media production company. Some clients hire freelance script writers to help improve existing scripts as part of a writing team, while advertising agencies and commercial production companies hire scriptwriters to create the scripts for video or audio advertising. If a studio or producer hires you or accepts your script pitch, you work on the project on a contract basis.

The qualifications you need to start working as a freelance script writer include narrative writing skills, knowledge of how to format scripts, and a portfolio of past work. You may need specialized training in advertising if your responsibilities involve creating commercial scripts. You should pursue a bachelor’s degree in creative writing, advertising, or communications, although no degree is a substitute for a portfolio of successful work. As a freelancer, you need basic business skills and advertising or film industry connections to gain clients. Most script writers hire agents to help with these latter aspects.