Okay, so you’re a novelist by trade, but you’ve got a story idea you feel is just as well suited for a Hollywood film as a paperback. However, before you put ink to paper, you wonder whether it would be wiser to write the novel first and then sell the IP (Intellectual Property), or just go directly to the screenplay. Might one format be an easier sell in Hollywood? Could the benefits of one route outweigh the other? Are there pitfalls that make one less desirable? Like so many choices, the answer often rests with you, the writer.

What’s the Same

In both circumstances, the process usually starts with a concept that lends itself well to the medium of film through strong visuals and a clear genre for easy audience targeting. If you manage to draw the attention of a producer, the next step usually involves optioning your material to him. This entails giving him an exclusive period of time with which to develop, package, finance and ultimately purchase the rights to your intellectual property. In either case, be prepared for changes to creative direction, including being adapted or rewritten by others. Producers will often want latitude to modify story points, locations, characters and themes within the screenplay (although they wouldn’t touch the novel). They will also usually retain the right of first refusal to produce any sequels, prequels or spin-offs.

Key Differences

Books have long been a hot commodity in Hollywood. As a novelist, your slight edge over screenwriters derives from an ability to build a fanbase before one frame of film is ever shot. However, the book is also one extra step removed from the filmmaking process. A screenplay still must be written regardless because that’s the blueprint for production. Therefore, writing the novel first is really only valuable if it comes with a large, supportive audience, while also offering the opportunity to convey nuances to early stage collaborators that a screenplay alone would not. Also, during the option period of a book, the focus would first be on adapting the book into a screenplay while the option period of a screenplay would go directly to rewrites and packaging elements like a director and cast. As such, the journey from book to screen will be quite longer than script to screen, all things being equal.

Things to Know

Selling rights to a novel is no easier than selling rights to a screenplay. In some ways, it’s harder. Executives have limited amounts of time to read. Asking them to spend a couple hours reading a screenplay is a lot lighter of a lift than getting them to spend days reading a novel. You also have no guarantee you’ll be hired as a screenwriter to adapt your own novel unless you manage to get that included in the original contract, which may tank the deal. Many executives find novelists make poor screenwriters because they aren’t used to the brevity and technical precision required to craft an effective screenplay – particular when adapting their own material, which may involve killing more than a few of their darlings. Therefore, overcoming that stigma can be a challenging obstacle.

Pros and Cons

Here’s a simplified breakdown of some pluses and minuses that come with each scenario:

– Time: Writing a novel first greatly extends the process from idea to screen with the time it takes you to write it, others to read it and someone to adapt it. The long read time may also alienate some producers.

– Salability: A novel will help your sales prospects and entice more producers to read it if it’s already built a solid following. This removes much of the uncertainty found in the spec market.

– Control: Selling the novel rights alone does little to ensure you’ll have sway over the screenplay. And while screenwriters can also be replaced, it gives you a greater chance at having your thumbprint on the film itself. But producers will always retain the ultimate say to make key creative changes.

– Credit: If you only write the novel, you’ll get a “Story by” credit, but not “Screenplay by.” If you write both, you get the coveted “Written by.”

– Fee: If you do manage to sell the book first and adapt the screenplay, the payday will be much higher. However, only the screenplay will be covered by a WGA contract, which offers no fee minimums or protections for novelists.

So before jumping in, consider what makes most sense in terms of your goals, time horizon and comfort level with key parts of the creative process.

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 recently 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.
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