Regardless of your current situation, there are excellent ways to get into the field!
I was recently asked:
Where can a beginner developer get jobs or experience?
Great question! The answer depends on your current employment status and available free time.
If you're currently a student or have the free time, I'd recommend contributing to an open source project that you get a lot of use out of. This has two benefits - it helps grow your network and reputation with potential employers. It also helps you build your resume so that when you apply for a job, you have some excellent work that potential employers can see. As a bonus, you also get some great experience working with other developers on real-world projects.
If you're currently employed in a field related to software development (such as customer support or IT), then I'd recommend seeing if your current employer has a defined path into a software engineering role. We have that at my current employer, and at least one of my colleagues have transitioned from Customer Support to Engineering roles in the last year. If your current employer doesn't have a path of this sort available, you might consider seeking employment in your current role at a company who does have this sort of job transition path available.
If you're currently employed in a field unrelated to software development, the transition may be a bit trickier (though not impossible). I've worked with excellent engineers who had backgrounds in the restaurant business, the music industry, and even film and wedding photography. You can start by learning and presenting at local meetups and conferences. As with open source contributions, this is an excellent way to build a network that will open the door to potential employment opportunities.