Something related I'd be interested in learning (if it's possible to find out) is how many new writers broke in doing assignments rather than through a sale.

My understanding is that this is an even more challenging path toward becoming a professional writer.

Tracking assignments is more difficult. The reality is that most 'new' writers, who have a good writing sample, but not sold that script (or had it optioned but not purchased outright), will almost always only get put up for assignment on a project deep in the bowels of development hell, something barely on life support, and the studio exec, whose project it is, wants to give the project one last pass before it becomes dormant. Most of those deals aren't announced in the trades because (a) they aren't high profile and (b) the $$ involved can be quite low for 'new' writers, so not a lot of newsworthiness there.

That said, perhaps a GITS reader works for an agency, producer, or studio and has access to the full open assignments list, and maybe they'd be willing to pass along some examples of writers in '08 who "broke in doing assignments rather than through a sale."

One thing we can learn is which 'new' writers sold their first spec screenplay. There were several of those in '08 and I'll note them as part of the overall analysis.

I am really looking forward to this. Are you counting pitches, too?

Josh, no pitches on this first go-around. Maybe later.