National Screenwriters Day2026 · Date · History
ScreenwritingU announced National Screenwriters Day for January 5 and identifies itself as the creator; current observance registry material retains the January 5 date.
About National Screenwriters Day
National Screenwriters Day is observed on January 5 and recognizes the writers who create screenplays and television scripts.
ScreenwritingU announced the observance in December 2016, while National Day Calendar says its Registrar had declared the day in July 2016.
Why National Screenwriters Day matters
The observance emphasizes the writing work that precedes filming: story structure, characters, action and dialogue are shaped on the page before production.
It is an industry-recognition observance rather than a government holiday, with a documented creator and registrar trail.
History of National Screenwriters Day
National Day Calendar says ScreenwritingU founded National Screenwriters Day and that its Registrar declared the day in July 2016.
On December 15, 2016, ScreenwritingU publicly announced that it had founded National Screenwriters Day and promoted the upcoming January 5 observance.
The announcement named several screenwriting-industry companies that had joined ScreenwritingU in promoting the event.
The reviewed sources establish January 5 as the annual date but do not explicitly label a completed January 5 edition as the first observance or explain why January 5 was selected.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
ScreenwritingU
ScreenwritingU’s December 2016 announcement says it founded National Screenwriters Day; National Day Calendar repeats the founder attribution.
Registrar at National Day Calendar
National Day Calendar declaration/registration
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
5 fields not established in reviewed sources
Also known as
National Screenwriters Day
How to Observe National Screenwriters Day
Read a screenplay for a film or episode you know and compare what is on the page with the finished production.
Credit the screenwriter when discussing a film’s story rather than attributing every creative choice only to actors or directors.
Work on a screenplay scene, outline or character problem of your own.
Learn the difference between spec scripts, commissioned writing and production rewrites.
National Screenwriters Day Facts
National Screenwriters Day is observed on January 5.
ScreenwritingU identifies itself as the founder of the observance.
National Day Calendar says its Registrar declared the day in July 2016.
ScreenwritingU publicly announced the observance on December 15, 2016 ahead of January 5.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
National Day Calendar (opens in a new tab)
ScreenwritingU — National Screenwriters Day announcement (opens in a new tab)
Creator Announcement
National Day Calendar — National Screenwriters Day (opens in a new tab)
Observance Registry
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is National Screenwriters Day?
5 January The documented recurrence rule is: 5 January each year under the creator-defined recognition day..
Does National Screenwriters Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is National Screenwriters Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United States / ScreenwritingU creator-defined recognition day. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes National Screenwriters Day?
The reviewed sources identify Registrar at National Day Calendar as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as ScreenwritingU.
Is National Screenwriters Day international or country-specific?
This observance is specific to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: United States / ScreenwritingU creator-defined recognition day.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-10.
When is National Screenwriters Day?
It is observed annually on January 5.
Who founded National Screenwriters Day?
ScreenwritingU identifies itself as the founder, and National Day Calendar repeats that attribution.
When was the day declared?
National Day Calendar says its Registrar declared the day in July 2016.
Was January 5, 2017 definitely the first observance?
The December 2016 creator announcement promoted the upcoming January 5 event, but the reviewed sources do not explicitly document the completed edition as the first observance, so that field remains unasserted.
Other observances on January 5
These observances are also listed on January 5, 2027.
Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival
Chinese government sources document successive Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival openings on January 5, including the 40th edition in 2024, 41st in 2025 and 42nd in 2026.
National Bird Day
The Avian Welfare Coalition says it established National Bird Day on January 5 as a day of action and education for captive birds; its anniversary material dates the campaign to 2002.