Becoming a screenwriter starts with developing your talent as a writer, and the best way to develop your talent as a writer is to write. Your first project doesn't need to be a screenplay or TV script. You just need to start somewhere; essays, short stories, plays, etc. The idea is to become comfortable with the writing process, a surprisingly slow and frustrating experience, and find what they call your "voice." Over time, you'll discover if your talents lie primarily with comedy, drama or some combination of the two.

Some people find it helpful to develop their writing skills in a structured educational setting, whether it is a college course, a film school program, or an online writing workshop. The advantage of taking a class is that there are deadlines and grades motivating you to sit down and get to work. At film school, in particular, you also have access to a community of artists, writers and filmmakers from which to draw inspiration and fresh ideas. And if you're lucky, the friends and connections you make in film school could lead to your first industry job.

But formal classes and degrees are certainly not required to become a screenwriter. You can create your own personal film school, renting and studying the greatest films and TV shows. There are several free and paid websites for reading film and TV scripts online. And there's no shortage of books written for aspiring screenwriters. The most famous is Syd Field's "Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting." Since digital video technology is so affordable, you can always get together with a group of friends and write and produce your own films to gain experience.