We're screenwriters, we're the unknowns, the ones whose faces no one recognizes out there, the ones whose names most often don't make it into the news ... and, who's kidding who, for the most part we're very happy with that obscurity.
I went through a fulltime graduate acting program, two years of roaring intensity - and yet when I discovered screenwriting, the thought of acting didn't even pale compared to it - it evaporated. Who needs fame when you're God, right? We're the creators - we make stories.
But our love for sitting in our writing caves aside - we should never forget that we're not in the arts, we're in a business - we're not in the clouds, we're on the ground that there is called film industry. And in this insane business of ours, networking and presenting, in their many forms, should always get a solid chunk of our attention.
Yes, you may get lucky just on the merit of your first script. But don't hold your breath. Chances are far greater that your name pops up in certain circles if you're running a blog (and have been consistent and relevant in doing so), if you're networking in social media with your peers (not the high-flyers - but actors, directors and producers on your level) and if you're promoting your work in any way you can. If you find your work is barely mentioned, try to dress it up, add links, images, trivia, etc. Perception does matter.
Case in point - all of my produced work so far has been in television - where traditionally they're a bit slow in updating IMDB (if they do it at all). So instead of leaving it as is, I just get into it myself and do what I can to make sure my work shows up and is presented attractively. Whether it's IMDB or Wikipedia, Facebook or Twitter, Blogger or Wordpress - there's a ton you can do and most of it is easy to handle.
How obscure you are is up to you - but if you want to be an active (and I mean commissioned) member of this business, you may want to check where you can improve - and then snap to it.
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