Having your book turned into a film or series offers fans the chance to engage through a different medium, opens the work up to an entirely new audience, and creates an additional revenue stream. But how do you get your book in the hands of a Hollywood producer who can bring it to the screen? While there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy, some best practices that will give you an edge.

Write a Visual Book

The first step is to write a book that Hollywood finds adaptable. Some stories are more attractive in this regard than others. Those featuring strong visual elements, hooky concepts with high commercial appeal, and flawed characters with compelling arcs are catnip for producers, directors and stars, as are books based on true stories. For inspiration, read books that have already been adapted into movies and follow industry trade magazines like Variety or Hollywood Reporter to gauge trends. For more info on judging adaptability, read my article here.

Protect Your Work

The first thing to do before shopping your book around Tinseltown is to make sure it’s copyright protected through the U.S Copyright Office. Clearly adding a copyright notice to the beginning of the book, watermarking pages and using digital rights management (DRM) platforms to encrypt or otherwise restrict access to legitimate readers will help protect you against unscrupulous types.

Generate Publicity

The more notoriety your book gains, the more attractive it appears to film buyers. Submit the book for awards and accolades; many of them recognize self-published books, so traditional publication isn’t a must. Get bloggers and critics to review on websites and in newspapers. If you have no idea how to do that, hire a freelance publicist. And generate a following on social media platforms by collaborating with influencers who will respond to the book’s subject matter.

Query Producers

Generate a list of producers whose work you like, complete with email and snail mail addresses, by getting an IMDb Pro account, then query them directly. For best practices on this, read my article here.  But check their websites or reach out to ensure they accept unsolicited queries first. If so, play up attractive stats in your letter, be it awards, a true story angle, or a large reader base.

Get an Agent

Unfortunately, most big name producers won’t respond to unsolicited queries unless they come from bona fide literary agents. These agents will act as middlemen between you and the producers, utilizing their existing connections to seek out film and TV adaptation opportunities as a way to supplement a traditional publishing deal. Research platforms like Publishers Marketplace or the AALA to find agents who rep books like yours, then query them.

Work with Your Publisher

Publishers are usually active in seeking film and TV deals if they think a book is highly adaptable. They connect with film agents at places like CAA and WME who can pitch the book to Hollywood producers and studio executives. Make sure to have a conversation with a potential publisher about your interest in having the book adapted for the screen before signing with them to make sure they see the same opportunity you do.

Pay for Pitching and Networking Services

What if you’re self-published and don’t have the reach to Hollywood agents? Well, this town is all about networking, and if you’re willing to invest a bit in your own success, there are platforms out there that will help you generate access. For a modest fee, sites like Slated and Stage 32 allow you to build a project profile and/or pitch your book to agents and filmmakers. Sellingyourscreenplay.com and Self-Publishing Review offer paid query blasts. And producers for hire like Buffalo 8 and yours truly provide executive producer services that include pitching to an internal network of industry pros.

Hire a Professional Screenwriter

Assuming you’re willing to let someone else adapt your book, and you have some decent funds set aside (perhaps from book sales), you could hire a working screenwriter who is already repped by a Hollywood agency. Any writer worth their salt is going to be a member of the WGA, so you’ll have to pay guild minimums; however, chances are once that writer has finished the script, they’ll want to see it get made just like you, so their agent will become your ally as they shop it around. To hire a screenwriter, find their agent’s contact info through IMDb Pro and call to say you’re looking to hire them on assignment.

Again, there’s no straight line between writing a book and getting it to the screen, but making sure it’s ripe for adaptation, learning to write a strong query letter, generating publicity, soliciting allies, and investing time and money in yourself are all factors that can help elevate your chances.
BIO: Mark Heidelberger co-founded Beverly Hills-based Treasure Entertainment in 2000, serving as a film executive, producer and literary manager until 2011 before going freelance. Film and TV credits include Harsh Times, Comfort, Ninja Apocalypse, The Basement, Take the Night, Pray for Rain, Hallmark Channel’s You’ve Got a Friend and the just-released Last Night on Earth. Often times, he performs ghostwriting services on screenplays in addition to his producing duties. He is a member of the Producers Guild of America. He holds a BA in Film Studies from UCSB and an MFA in Producing from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television.