The Road To Hard Work
The hardest thing about writing is "breaking in". The main point I'm gathering from my reading on the subject is that it's more like chip-chip-chipping at the door rather than fetching an axe - Shawshank over Shining.
In that vein, some excellent comment on these issues from the British industry:
Lucy V on how to get read - including querying anyone and everyone, and making your own works.
BBC writersroom on their role as the "interface" between writers and the industry. Bottom line: be patient and persistent.
Phill Barron's #scriptchat on agents is also worth a read (if you can navigate the transcript - I advise searching the thing for "phillbarron" to skip to the relevant bits) and introduced me to Mandy.com, where one can find work - paid and lo/no fee.
And How to Hustle from Michelle Lipton - the guide to getting work, which basically involves putting in the effort to be seen and to be known.
All before you land the gigs actually...