I've been writing for the screen since 1999. I moved from Seattle to Hollywood in November of 2004. Three of my five screenplays are making the rounds.
My latest comedy, FALSE SECURITY, took 2nd place in the WriteSafe.com contest for the third quarter of 2005.
I wrote, produced, and directed a short film titled, Memoir.
I gained representation as a screenwriter in 2006.

I've been trying to think of a good example of a writer-as-role-model. So far, not so good. I can think of various writers I like and none of them are good role models. I wouldn't want a child of mine emulating the attitudes or lifestyles of any of the writers on my short list:

1) Ernest "Papa" Hemingway
A boozing womanizer with no visible means of support. And why the nickname? He never had kids. I see him drunk on rum and sweaty from the Florida humidity coaxing some underage local to count the toes on his kitties...
Sorry Ernie you're not role-model material, but thanks for all the books.

2) William Faulkner
An alcoholic from the south who liked to date much younger women. He must have believed his compromised liver had finally landed him in heaven when his hungover self came to in a writer's bungalow in 1930's Hollywood. Oh well, at least he became a good screenwriter.

3) John Updike
John who? Exactly. He won two Pulitzers from the Rabbit series after writing short fiction for the New Yorker forever. He writes 3 hours a day six days a week. But he's never left the east. Even my aunt left the east--the most eastern east coaster you will ever meet! Mr. Updike is just too weirdly eastern and obscure to be any kind of role model.

And the list just goes on like that. I'm thinking that maybe writers become writers simply because they're not qualified to do anything else. And I suppose that qualification-less qualification includes me. Can you imagine Melville working as an accountant? Or Poe as a roofer? How about Hunter S. Thompson, M.D.? As for me? I'm not putting myself in the class of those listed above but still, you wouldn't want me drilling your teeth or managing your portfolio.

So parents, the message is clear: Don't let your babies grow up to be writers.

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