# Tips for Writing a Book that is attractive to Movie Producers - Sasha J. Blog



## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Here's an article on Sasha Jackson's Mystery blog (run by our own Jill Edmondson):

Tips for Writing a Book that is attractive to Movie Producers

http://jilledmondson.blogspot.com/2013/07/tips-for-writing-book-that-is.html?spref=tw

The industry has made big advances in research as to what will do well at the box office. Check out what you might want to consider if your goal is to have your books made into a movie.

Please add your experiences to this thread.


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## Hopeful Writer (Jul 24, 2012)

Wow! Congrats on not just getting the movie deals, but on having the studios actually move forward with the work! That is so exciting 

I wish I had something to contribute in terms of experience with movie deals, but unfortunately, not yet. Still keeping my fingers crossed, though  

In terms of broad appeal, I once heard a movie producer segment the audience. The most profitable are males aged 18 - 25, so if your book targets that section, that should be great.


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## LG Castillo (Jun 28, 2012)

This is great, Lisa! Congrats!!

How did the movie producers find you? Really, my question is how do I get the attention of movie producers?


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## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

Linda Castillo said:


> This is great, Lisa! Congrats!!
> 
> How did the movie producers find you? Really, my question is how do I get the attention of movie producers?


Same here.

I get about one inquiry a week (directly or searches to my website) asking when a movie will be made of my bestselling series. I've never been approached by anyone for movie options, but readers want it.


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## Deke (May 18, 2013)

The trick isn't just getting a movie deal, but gettting the movie made.  Be careful optioning your work, for it could tie up the property for years.  I look forward to the day when writers will have as much control over the movie as they now do over the book.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

HopefulWriter said:


> Wow! Congrats on not just getting the movie deals, but on having the studios actually move forward with the work! That is so exciting
> 
> I wish I had something to contribute in terms of experience with movie deals, but unfortunately, not yet. Still keeping my fingers crossed, though
> 
> In terms of broad appeal, I once heard a movie producer segment the audience. The most profitable are males aged 18 - 25, so if your book targets that section, that should be great.


Thank you, HopefulWriter 



Linda Castillo said:


> This is great, Lisa! Congrats!!
> 
> How did the movie producers find you? Really, my question is how do I get the attention of movie producers?


Thank you, Linda 
If you read the article, I go in to how they found me. If you read the link to the NYT article, it goes into the details of what makes one book more attractive over another down to the individual scenes that influence box office take.



Deke said:


> The trick isn't just getting a movie deal, but gettting the movie made. Be careful optioning your work, for it could tie up the property for years. I look forward to the day when writers will have as much control over the movie as they now do over the book.


Not really. Most options are only a year to two years in length. If they want to renew, they pay you again. How much they pay can be specified in the original contract. You won't have much control as it is an artistic endeavor. The producers, director, scene locators, script writers, costumers, sound track designers, and actors will all bring their own interpretations to the final product. 
I've worked as a musical theater director so I'm used to collaborating on projects and encouraging others to bring their vision to a project.



David Stephens said:


> Or, as William Goldman said about Hollywood: Nobody knows anything.


The movie industry is a little like playing Black Jack. It's gambling, but with research there are certain things within the studios' control that they can do to hedge their bets. Spread money over several projects, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Pick directors, actors, and all the back up positions from a pool of people who have good track records. Do your research.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

David Stephens said:


> A friend of mine was in a meeting at one of the studios last month and got a look at next year's production slate. Every single title had a roman numeral in it. That's what Hollywood is interested in, roman numerals, comic books, video games, remakes, and remakes of bad TV shows.


Well, actually a lot of money is put into romances, too. I have several friends whose books have been optioned in that market. You're right that movies are targeted though to the demographic markets that go to movies.

My books are aimed at that 12-16 year old market, involve a group of teens, high stakes (life and death, losing your soul) etc... which is one reason why they're attractive. As far as roman numerals, you're correct again. They optioned two books, with first right of refusal on the third, and there are five books completing the current story arc. If it's a hit, more books could be arranged and/or more movies.


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## TexasGirl (Dec 21, 2011)

What David said.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

David Stephens said:


> Warner Brothers has over 400 projects in development. That's just the stuff they've paid money for. I'm sure the other studios are in a similar position. If Hollywood never bought another literary property they have enough inventory to last a hundred years.
> 
> In addition to that are tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of perfectly viable, some outstanding, scripts, piled to the rafters. Well, actually, these days they are spinning around on hard drives in perpetuity. That's a few millenia of inventory. And yet we keep piling on more, hoping for that elusive green light.
> 
> ...


Guess you missed the part where I said its like gambling .

You could put the words "self publish" and pick the name of a "Big Six" to substitute for "Warner Brothers" in your argument, and this would be the same tired "hopeless drivel" we see the traditional publishers putting out against self publishing. You obviously didn't read what it took for my book to get noticed either, because the first thing I mention is it made it to #1 on several genre bestseller lists on Amazon in the Kindle store which is where it was noticed.

Even though there are tons of scripts in Hollywood, there are script writers making a living-writing scripts. Just like there are indies making a living writing books.

As far as advice, hopefuls come to Kboards looking for the latest information to get ahead of trends instead of being woefully behind them. Just about everyone, including me, wants advice.

The-numbers.com and several other research firms provide advice as to what is working for box office draws. Some of it is common sense. Some of it, like the fact that demons who target vs. those who are summoned, sell better are discovered through comparative research.

My project is not just optioned, the option was exercised, and it is in development.

The market for video has never been as large as it is now. There are more cable companies and web companies, that are looking for original content.

There are bunches of smaller studios that put out movies, not just the big three or four. Actors and authors are now producing their own movies. Warner Brothers is not the only market, and obviously not even the best one for most authors.


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## Harriet Schultz (Jan 3, 2012)

LisaGraceBooks said:


> My project is not just optioned, the option was exercised, and it is in development.


That's the take away. In development. It still may not get made, but that's a big step.

I want my books to be optioned too!!!


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## Diane Patterson (Jun 17, 2012)

+1 to David from me too.


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## H.M. Ward (May 16, 2012)

Deke said:


> The trick isn't just getting a movie deal, but gettting the movie made. * Be careful optioning your work, for it could tie up the property for years*. I look forward to the day when writers will have as much control over the movie as they now do over the book.


How does one decide how chancy it is to be optioned by company A or B?

OP, I couldn't get any of the external links to work in the blog article.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

h.m. ward said:


> How does one decide how chancy it is to be optioned by company A or B?
> 
> OP, I couldn't get any of the external links to work in the blog article.


Here are the links: http://www.the-numbers.com/

and the New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/06/business/media/solving-equation-of-a-hit-film-script-with-data.html?_r=1&


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## heavycat (Feb 14, 2011)

Read this:



Then Read This:



Then Read This:



Then Read This:



By the time you are done with those four books you will never EVER want to work with Hollywood again. Pay special attention to the fact that it took 40 years and one of the most contentious bankruptcies in the history of American business to get Spider-Man made into a movie, and even then, most of it was luck.

P.S. I'm only halfway through the John Carter book, but from what I've gleaned so far it is apparent that Disney senior management was willing to flush $250 million (that's $250,000,000.00) to make a point.


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## jackz4000 (May 15, 2011)

Movies? Hollywood? I agree with David's post and William Goldman, "*Nobody knows anything."  *


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## Mike McIntyre (Jan 19, 2011)

Of the multitude of tactics available to succeed as an indie, attempting to tailor your book for Hollywood ranks way down the list, somewhere below black magic.


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## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Mike McIntyre said:


> Of the multitude of tactics available to succeed as an indie, attempting to tailor your book for Hollywood ranks way down the list, somewhere below black magic.


+1


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Hey, for those who don't want to try—don't.  

Lots of Indie authors don't want to write in widely read genres, so they don't. But they shouldn't be shocked when those other genres seem to never be on the best seller lists. Same with movies. This article was meant to help those who do want to know. I learned a few things while going through the process. If you have nothing to learn, good for you.

The industry has evolved just as much as the book industry has. It's a different animal than it was a few short years ago. Look at Blair Witch Project, the kickstarter campaigns that are successfully funding cult films, Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, and all the indie projects that have scored big at film festivals and then the box office.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

heavycat said:


> By the time you are done with those four books you will never EVER want to work with Hollywood again. Pay special attention to the fact that it took 40 years and one of the most contentious bankruptcies in the history of American business to get Spider-Man made into a movie, and even then, most of it was luck.
> 
> P.S. I'm only halfway through the John Carter book, but from what I've gleaned so far it is apparent that Disney senior management was willing to flush $250 million (that's $250,000,000.00) to make a point.


You're right, no one should ever work with Hollywood. I hope you take your own advice. If they offer you an option, just say NO!


Spoiler



Yes, I'm being sarcastic


 We should just stop going to movies, that will show them!

Bad things happen in every industry.


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## heavycat (Feb 14, 2011)

> I learned a few things while going through the process. If you have nothing to learn, good for you.


I've learned a few things here and there myself.

One needs look no further than what was done to Brenda Chapman over _Brave_. Or what has been done to Stan Lee for the last 50 years. Or even better, let's take John Carter as an example. Here is a character upon which practically the entire 20th century's sci-fi and fantasy output rests, spiked to the tune of $250 million for no other reason than to score political points in the executive suites.

Then we've got Superman punching people in the face like a UFC match, Mr. Spock punching people in the face, the U.S.S. Enterprise as a submarine and almost the entire media output of the town rooting for Brad Pitt's movie to flop, only to see it reach #1, followed by Johnny Depp's movie, which did exactly the reverse. It's a circus.

Studios want "pre-awareness," meaning they want someone else to pay for the marketing. They want films that do big business overseas. They don't care about the U.S. movie market any more. They want billion-dollar superhero blockbuster trilogies with 40 years of multi-generational marketing work done for them. There's no room for original scripts, even if there were anyone in Hollywood left to buy them.

If you want to do something creative, write for television.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Mike McIntyre said:


> Of the multitude of tactics available to succeed as an indie, attempting to tailor your book for Hollywood ranks way down the list, somewhere below black magic.


With what proof to you have to back this up? Just your opinion? Certain authors books are picked up time and time again to be made into films. Why? Because they write books that translate well to the film medium.

There are research firms who can show you that statistically, certain films will perform better than others. Just like tailoring a romance book to be a new adult HEA is going to work better than a new adult romance without an HEA.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

heavycat said:


> I've learned a few things here and there myself.
> 
> One needs look no further than what was done to Brenda Chapman over _Brave_. Or what has been done to Stan Lee for the last 50 years. Or even better, let's take John Carter as an example. Here is a character upon which practically the entire 20th century's sci-fi and fantasy output rests, spiked to the tune of $250 million for no other reason than to score political points in the executive suites.
> 
> ...


If you get an offer for an option and the contract isn't up to your standards, just say no. But frankly, every day options are being signed, (some by Kboard authors who have contacted me privately), and some like Hugh who are vocal about it too. LOL, my marketing budget is a _peanut_ compared to the hundreds of thousands to multi-millions of advertising that will be thrown at thing. Anything I do is not even a blip on the radar.

TV shows can and do go through options, too. Just exchanged emails today with an author whose book series is optioned for a TV series.


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## Hudson Owen (May 18, 2012)

Though much of what you say in your quest blog about taste, Hollywood, and probability is true--personally, I would not task a novelist with trying to write a novel that is easy to turn into a shooting script.  When you talk about number of scenes, you're talking about a shooting script.  Although, I'm thinking, some software programs might number your novel's scenes...but still.

Your first task as a novelist is to win readers in your genre.  Think big.  Space is the limit.  Grab the imagination.  Words are cheap.  The screen industry has a term "high concept," which means an idea that can be expressed in a single sentence.  It also means a big idea any idiot can understand.  But that is screenwriter's talk.  When you peddle a spec script, you think in terms of logline and synopsis to get some director of prodco to read your script or farm it out to a script reader to provide coverage of your story, which almost always will be a Pass.  Because basically, Hollywood--the studios--don't want to hear from you.

If you manage to sell or option your spec script, you will be working with a director who will guide you through re-writes.  Congratulations, you have made some money and landed in turnaround hell.

But as a novelist, you are the captain of your ship.  You are writing what your imagination dictates to you.  Don't try to anticipate a trend; don't try to think like a Hollywood insider.  Just write and listen to that voice inside your head.

Hollywood, as always, is about sex, money and power.  You can boil that down to one word: glamor.  What has changed is the availability of movie technology for the masses.  If you have a pc, look for Microsoft Movie Maker, which was bundled with other software.  You can make a film with it and put it on YouTube, for example.  I've done that.  If you can pull off an indie film and create buzz, Hollywood will pay attention.  Hollywood does reward hard work and success--and imagination.

Don't worry about how your brilliant novel, as your imagination guides it through the stars and sea of earthly roadblocks, time sucks, and struggles, will turn into movie magic.  Hollywood is expert at taking your masterpiece and making it into a boffo knockout blockbuster--a WWII term that meant a bomb that could destroy a city block.

You do your job, and let the big boys and girls do theirs.  My two cents.


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## Kathy Clark Author (Dec 18, 2012)

Having written about twenty scripts, sold two,optioned two & made one, sort of, I still find it amazing anything ever gets made.  The chances of a well written highly producible high concept script being submitted and then being seen on the screen is so so small.

Be prepared, unless you have an "in" as they say, to submit your project who turns it over to a reader who is actually a undiscovered screenwriter who then declares they didn't spark to it and so it gets thrown on the pile.

Even with a star attached it doesn't mean much to getting the project on the screen.  

Finally, it just wasn't our scrips it was the scripts from other screenwriters we represented as a WGA West signatory agency...it is good to be back to book writing. Worse case a reader, an agent, a buyer and editor...


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## Wansit (Sep 27, 2012)

Thanks for linking this information on movie deals - everyone. Some good reads. I just want to add in this link that I read at least a week ago. From a popular author who has had her movie rights optioned many times:

http://theallycarter.tumblr.com/post/54123945714/what-a-movie-option-means

Lisa Grace congrats on getting so far into development!


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## A.A (Mar 30, 2012)

And this from John Green's website. Seems that lots of his books have been optioned, but none have made it to production as yet:
http://johngreenbooks.com/movie-questions/


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## Nope (Jun 25, 2012)

.


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## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

I think it would be more fun to see my series as a cable series. That way it can be told in more detail. 

I can appreciate that certain things sell now. That doesn't mean other things won't sell in the future. Big epic stories may not be "in the budget" but they do get made. Even more so on HBO, etc. 

I agree with the people who have said to worry more about telling your story that you want to tell. Big, epic drama DOES sell, just not as often right now. It comes and goes. Every year there are a few movies like that and more than a few TV shows and cable series. Not nearly as many as the now popular types but those popular types won't always be popular. Trying to guess what will be hot in a couple of years is impossible.

Regardless, if a writer has to write in a genre they don't enjoy there are many, many professions to work in that are not enjoyable but will guarantee you a very good living that isn't a long shot. If I have to write novels I don't love writing I may as well go back into advertising. That is soul sucking but the money is great.


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## Lady Vine (Nov 11, 2012)

David Stephens said:


> Or, as William Goldman said about Hollywood: Nobody knows anything.


That's one of my favourite quotes of all time. I say it at least twenty times a year. Also, there's this one:

"You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new." - Steve Jobs


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## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

David Stephens said:


> .... Write a novel that sells like wildfire, gets a lot of press, and Hollywood will come calling.
> 
> .....
> 
> So, write what you love and hope it does well.


I'm just snipping your post down to show the conflict, for fun.

What a lot of people love to write won't ever sell like wildfire.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Mimi said:


> I'm just snipping your post down to show the conflict, for fun.
> 
> What a lot of people love to write won't ever sell like wildfire.


This.  
.


Hudson Owen said:


> Though much of what you say in your quest blog about taste, Hollywood, and probability is true--personally, I would not task a novelist with trying to write a novel that is easy to turn into a shooting script. When you talk about number of scenes, you're talking about a shooting script. Although, I'm thinking, some software programs might number your novel's scenes...but still.
> 
> You do your job, and let the big boys and girls do theirs. My two cents.


As far as Hudson's post, we (those involved) did have discussions on how the essence of a novel must boil down to between ninety minutes and to a hundred and ten minutes, if you ever hope to sell rights for TV and cable after the initial run. This means your novel does need to be able to condense easily, or they'll skip it for one that can be.

We're talking about how typical novels get in the option game. It's because they _do_ fit a formula. I'm not talking about the outliers like hit books that become movies, but how to get your non-blockbuster considered as good material for a script writer to consider taking the time to turn it into a script, or a movie producer to be able to "see" it as a movie.

We've all read books that we can "see" as a movie and others we know that would not translate well to film. As writers, we want to deliver a (fill in the adjective) book. Some scenes may deliver, and others won't.

There are some writers who come here for the love of their "art", but there also are other authors who come here with the purpose of maximizing the return on their investment of their time by writing products that might have cross over appeal.

How many authors have we seen here who started writing erotica, romance, or New Adult because those genres are now hot? Too many to count on two hands.

We're all concerned with putting out good books, but if you know a couple of tips that may make it more viable to be optioned, well, some here do want to know those things. These tips are coming from the industry professionals and other authors I've talked to that have had their books _made_ into movies, not just optioned.


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## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

I had an animation company interested in my Leon Chameleon PI books  . They were thinking about a TV series. They asked for 20 storylines and the characters to be fleshed out. It took a lot of work as the animals in the books have to solve the crimes using their actual animal instincts and abilities. The company liked all the storylines, but then couldn't get funding. Big disappointment. I tried other companies, and it was the usual story about an unknown entity and funding.


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## Cappy (Sep 6, 2011)

I had a screenplay in development for two years as well as a sitcom with a TV company. And I used to be a TV director.

All I can say is that movies and TV are strange worlds. Don't expect normal rules to apply. Or any rules for that matter  

Movies is very much a 'fashion business' rather than an 'art'. Vampires this week, zombies next. I don't kid myself that my screenplay was my best stuff, I think it was just on roughly the same subject as another big film at the time. What followed the option, well, I could write a book on that.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Hey, it's like gambling, but so are books.


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## Shane Murray (Aug 1, 2012)

TexasGirl said:


> What David said.


Yeah.


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## Christa Wick (Nov 1, 2012)

Thanks for the post, Lisa. I think the advice is not only useful for those looking to get optioned (they can option me all day and never make the movie, it's still money in my pocket) but also those looking for more sales in general: broad appeal, know your market and simple story mechanics, with an "eye" on the visual.


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## Hudson Owen (May 18, 2012)

It's a particularly American idea that you can put lighting in a bottle and sell it.  One thinks of The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People.  Lots of good ideas in those books.  Positive thinking opens many doors in life, and I would not speak against it, though I find it necessary to sometimes close doors, as well.

The film world has embraced the idea of the guru and the path to success more rabidly, I would guess, than novelists as a group, because more people watch movies than read novels and the million dollar deals struck in Hollywood are made to look more glamorous than big book deals.  Thousands of screenwriters flock to conventions to hear the winning words from the lips of Robert McKee and John Truby and their kind, because they think those golden words will spell gold for them.  The principles of story structure came first from Aristotle. who is dead and cannot appear on stage.

If you were to formalize "Tips" and offer it as a course to be taken for money, you would be compelled to issue a stern caveat that success is not guaranteed.  As you know, the vast majority of those who would take the course will not end up with a bestseller much less a Hollywood deal.  Those people would be angry.

Those of us to aspire to be artists do aim to succeed. We take no vows of poverty.  The difference is that we take risks. We feel compelled to confront irony, perverseness, ill-will, evil, suffering, what is called the human condition, rather than avoiding it.  Success for great artists often comes at a price.  Shakespeare wrote: "Blow, blow thou winter wind, thou are not so unkind as man's ingratitude."

Rich or poor, I would rather spend ten minutes with the Bard than a week with Norman Vincent Peale and Robert McKee.


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## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

> Those of us to aspire to be artists do aim to succeed. We take no vows of poverty. The difference is that we take risks. We feel compelled to confront irony, perverseness, ill-will, evil, suffering, what is called the human condition, rather than avoiding it.


Well said and thanks for doing so.


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Caddy said:


> Well said and thanks for doing so.


Thirded.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Hudson Owen said:


> It's a particularly American idea that you can put lighting in a bottle and sell it. One thinks of The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale and Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. Lots of good ideas in those books. Positive thinking opens many doors in life, and I would not speak against it, though I find it necessary to sometimes close doors, as well.
> 
> The film world has embraced the idea of the guru and the path to success more rabidly, I would guess, than novelists as a group, because more people watch movies than read novels and the million dollar deals struck in Hollywood are made to look more glamorous than big book deals. Thousands of screenwriters flock to conventions to hear the winning words from the lips of Robert McKee and John Truby and their kind, because they think those golden words will spell gold for them. The principles of story structure came first from Aristotle. who is dead and cannot appear on stage.
> 
> ...


I get the feeling you didn't bother to read them, because I don't see how you could possibly disagree or see no merit in any of them. Again, these aren't from me, but from information I was given by those on the other end of the deal.

Also, I'm not trying to "sell" anything, just share my experience, as we do here at KBoards.

I must say I'm surprised at the vehemence over a few helpful tips offered by those on the other end of the deal, the money production end, and from authors whose projects have made it to completed film. I don't have to share what they told me. I could just keep it to myself.

Just because you're convinced they don't look for certain things in a book,, doesn't make it so. There's a reason certain authors seem to get projects optioned on a consistent basis and others never get offered an option. You can be stubborn and unwilling to acknowledge this, but there's no reason to cut down "tips" you obviously haven't read.

Since this information is offered freely, just like everything else on KBoards, I don't see how anyone would get angry. What are you really trying to insinuate? I compare it to gambling, how much of a warning do people need? I assume they're not stupid. If the article really has no merit for you, say so. But why make the decision it won't have value to others? I'm grateful the producers, authors, scriptwriters, and others who've been involved in successfully taking books all the way through to the movie on the screen phase shared with me.

You suggest that others here should listen to those who have been unsuccessful at the process? I choose to listen to those who are/have made it happen, successfully, and more than once.

Tomorrow my guest post on what I've learned about the process is supposed to post on JAKonrath's blog. (Jack Kilborn here.)


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## A.A (Mar 30, 2012)

I watched 'Beautiful Creatures' on DVD last night, Lisa, and thought of this thread  
I haven't read the book, but if the movie is faithful to the book, then it has the elements suggested in your article - High concept, only three main locations (a house, a mansion, a school - none especially high budget) and the only really 'epic' scene was a tornado at the end.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Anya said:


> I watched 'Beautiful Creatures' on DVD last night, Lisa, and thought of this thread
> I haven't read the book, but if the movie is faithful to the book, then it has the elements suggested in your article - High concept, only three main locations (a house, a mansion, a school - none especially high budget) and the only really 'epic' scene was a tornado at the end.


Exactly!!!  And-tornado footage can now be bought now from studios like Dreamworks. They keep stock footage of stuff like that. I had a couple of settings I discussed for my fourth book (the concept was set, but not the location) and we decided on one that would be easier (cheaper) to film than the one I'd originally thought of. Did any of this interfere with my telling of the story? No.


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## Pnjw (Apr 24, 2011)

Lisa, when is book four being released? Seems like it's been a while.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Deanna Chase said:


> Lisa, when is book four being released? Seems like it's been a while.


It has.  I have an agency working on a paperback deal and they've asked me to hold off on releasing the last two books in the series.


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## Hudson Owen (May 18, 2012)

I did read your tips and commented on them in my first post (#25).  I took issue, really, only with the notion that a novelist, especially a beginning novelist, should bother with trying to estimate the number of scenes in her novel, with an eye on Hollywood.  I think if you are that focused on show biz, you are better off writing spec scripts because that is where your imagination is leading you.  Actually, you probably have more access to studios and prodcos than a novelist does to editors and agents.  The big difference is your novel is more likely to be published than a screenplay is likely to be produced.  There is little point is self-publishing a screenplay; that is, I've never heard of anyone selling thousands of copies of a screenplay.

I am now converting several of my screenplays into novellas.  One of the things I am doing is eliminating or combining scenes from the script into longer passages in the novella.  Novels don't jump time and space every few seconds in the way scripts, especially action scripts, do--unless you are talking about some novels with very short chapters.  There is a difference in the two forms.

As to trying to formulate the path to success in La La Land, well, you have heard from quite a few writers in this thread.  You seem to have fared better than most of the rest of us.  I congratulate you on your success.  Randall Wallace sent a letter to Mel Gibson saying he was a direct descendent of William Wallace of history, and he had a script.  That is how Braveheart got made.  Different writer, different story.

And so it goes.


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## Pnjw (Apr 24, 2011)

LisaGraceBooks said:


> It has.  I have an agency working on a paperback deal and they've asked me to hold off on releasing the last two books in the series.


I remember that now. Are you giving them a time frame to come back to you with something before you self-publish? I don't think I could stomach waiting that long.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Deanna Chase said:


> I remember that now. Are you giving them a time frame to come back to you with something before you self-publish? I don't think I could stomach waiting that long.


I'm waiting, patiently, because of all the work and money being spent in development. The closer it gets to pre-production without a deal, the more money the series might be worth. I wonder if I'm doing the right thing by waiting. I feel bad keeping my readers waiting. One nice caveat though, is several are contacting me directly, so now I have their email addresses to contact them when Book 4 releases. I should have enough first day orders to boost me to the top of the charts (temporarily).

If something falls through, I'll self publish the last two as ebooks immediately, and put out the whole series in paperback myself. I have other projects I'm working on, too.


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## BelindaPepper (May 19, 2013)

Apologies if my comment has already been covered- I kinda skimmed over the 2nd page of comments.

If you guys and gals haven't read this book yet, I HIGHLY recommend it:



It is the ONLY "how to write" book I've read that gives advice that actually works. My draft was floundering...big time...before I read this book. And while novelists can definitely benefit from following its advice, the book was actually written for screenwriters.

Novelists could do worse things than consider Hollywood when writing. And I'm NOT saying that we should try to pick up a trend or something, but that when you boil things down, what do you achieve by letting Hollywood influence things? You get a novel that has:

1) a clear story arc with a strong resolution,
2) appeal to a mainstream audience (meaning more sales),
3) character driven stories, rather than plots that happen _despite _the characters,
4) succinct dialogue,
5) every scene has an important role in the story- no fluff.

Seriously people, I can't recommend the above book enough. It'll tidy up your stories like you wouldn't believe.

If you follow the same paradigm that consistently makes blockbuster movies blockbusters, then you'll often have a stronger story that appeals to a mainstream audience. More exposure and money for you as the author, as well as the increased chance that you'll be picked up by Hollywood. You've already made the screenwriter's job a whole lot easier.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Thanks BelindaPepper.  Great advice.


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## Hugh Howey (Feb 11, 2012)

Books don't get turned into movies.

Okay, okay. You can name a dozen that have. There are a million that haven't. I think it can be dangerous for people to have their books optioned, to be honest. The chances are that no film will ever get made. My advice is to be thankful for the option money and expect that the option will never renew, that you'll never see a script adapted to your work, and you sure as heck will never see a film.

And then, if you're one of the dozen, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Which is the opposite of how these things normally go. I've read countless accounts of authors who thought a film was in the bag and all the heartbreak and frustration they go through as things fall apart. Hollywood makes sequels and remakes. That's about it.

Having said all that, I think it can be great to write as if your book is a film. I try to "see" my scenes and characters. It's like watching a film and just describing events as they happen. There's some good advice here, but only for making a great and vivid book. Because it'll never become a film. It just won't.

And if it does, I'm doing a dance for being wrong!


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Well there you go. Hugh Howey saying its a crap shoot. And it is. But still...isn't there a song that says, "take the money and run."

We all know few make it to the film stage. Shoot, few ebooks make it to the top 100. It doesn't stop me from trying.


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## Michael J. Scott (Sep 2, 2010)

Hey Lisa,

Thanks for posting this, and congratulations on your success! 

As for film? For me it's all part and parcel of the dream. I'm not counting on the dream to feed my family or to provide my life with meaning, satisfaction, or significance. I recognize there's a huge difference between what is imaginable, and what is probable. 

What is probable is that a writer today, by taking charge of his own path, can arrive at a point where he or she can make a living doing what he/she loves: writing. That's my expectation - that at some point in the near future, through hard work and discipline and study and application of solid principles, I can earn "quit your day job" money and devote myself to writing full time. 1K books a month oughta do it for me. I could walk away with that (I'd want to see several months of it like that, actually, just to be sure it keeps up). 

But the dream? Hell, in the dream I'm Richard Castle. In the dream my books are being made into movies, are on all the shelves at Wal-Mart, and my characters are appearing in AMC's next new drama series. Ain't nothing wrong with the dream. And sometimes, on rare occasions, for some people those dreams come true. Often when we least expect it. 

So, thanks Lisa, for helping us see the dream. And thank you, Hugh, for showing us that sometimes they come true. That's enough to keep me going for a few more novels at least.


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## Hudson Owen (May 18, 2012)

Hugh Howey said:


> Books don't get turned into movies.
> 
> Okay, okay. You can name a dozen that have. There are a million that haven't. I think it can be dangerous for people to have their books optioned, to be honest. The chances are that no film will ever get made. My advice is to be thankful for the option money and expect that the option will never renew, that you'll never see a script adapted to your work, and you sure as heck will never see a film.
> 
> ...


Well&#8230;

For a long time most movies were made from books. Novelists provided ready-made plots and studio heads read literary novels. It was a more literary culture from the 1920s through the 1940s.

Television changed all that in the Fifties. It shifted the cultural center of gravity westward toward a more theatrical sensibility. TV required a new breed of writer, a team player who sat in on story sessions with the actors and directors, hammering out next week's episode. TV gave rise to the producer/writer like Rod Sirling of the Twilight Zone. In the Sixties and Seventies, screenwriters emerged from the shadows of toiling in those bungalows on studio lots back then, and made a name for themselves: Wm. Golding, Robert Towne, David Webb Peoples. They had insider conversations with stars that resulted in big budget films. They had no need to look eastward for money or fame.

The novelists did not disappear, however. Their very distance from the Hollywood grist mill allowed them time and space to forge their fantasy empires: Agatha Christi in her country estate, J.K. Rowling giving birth to Harry Potter in a Laundromat, Stephen King living in relative isolation in Maine. And, dare I say, Hugh Howey, writing in North Carolina (?). Though very few in number, their outsized visions have gripped our imaginations and changed our vocabularies and the way we look at the world, and do so today.

F. Scott Fitzgerald, who had a miserable time as a work-for-hire screen writer on the Coast in the Twenties , died a broken man in Hollywood. He got his revenge by shooting a bullet through America's heart in The Great Gatsby, the ultimate tale of excess and seduction, the latest iteration of which appeared this year. Fitzgerald penned the most famous last page in America literature-that bit about the "fresh, green breast of the New World."

The fresh green breast of your imagination.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

I have another in detail blog about what I've learned so far on Joe Konrath's (AKA Jack Kilborn) blog today, with his comments.

A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Books Optioned for Movie Deal: What You Should Know that No One Tells You
http://j.mp/12mhB2U


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## Hudson Owen (May 18, 2012)

David Stephens said:


> Very true. When movies first shifted from one-reelers to telling entire stories, they had to get stories from somewhere. Novels offered an enormous number of stories to be mined, and, as a bonus, none of them had ever been seen on the silver screen before.
> 
> The concept of "original screenplay" was unheard of. Indeed, for movies not based on books, studios, or producers, came up with stories, lengthy treatments were written, some almost as long as novels, and rewritten and rewritten until it passed muster. Only then was a screenplay ordered and it was expected to follow the treatment absolutely.


Interesting what you say about original screenplays. I've read some of those treatments in the library. As you say, they go on for pages and pages. And all of that was done on manual typewriters with multiple carbons inserted, and zero typos. There were some (likely unhappy) super typists in those days.


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## Shane Ward (Jan 25, 2013)

Once all these big movie producers start running out of ideas, rewriting something into the ground, they will flood the market searching for new ideas. Better put your biggest umbrella up... Time to go fishing!

Shane


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## Nope (Jun 25, 2012)

.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

The future is going towards cross-promotion. Which came first, the movie or the book? They go hand in hand. The book is free advertising for the movie,and the movie is free advertising for the book. 

This is why Disney has Hyperion and they just announced they'll be doing more concepts and projects in-house. They can have a movie, books, TV show, soundtrack, and merchandise all based on the same concept.


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## Christopher Bunn (Oct 26, 2010)

There's another option in this arena which hasn't been discussed yet. Shoot your own film.

The cost of technology has come down to everyone's level. You can purchase or rent what you need for peanuts. A good HD camera, edit on your Mac, lights, a good lens package. Write your own script .Shrug. All very doable. Put a team together, do back-end deals with your cast and crew, keep your budget under 100k, pull of a halfway decent film and you shouldn't have much of a problem doing some TV sales, direct to video, etc. Yeah, you're probably not going to get into domestic theaters, but c'est la vie. You can make a film and turn a profit.

Some folks and I just did it. http://www.thefellowshipmovie.com It ain't the Great Gatsby, but who cares? We did some festivals, did some meetings, and snagged distribution.

And now we're in pre-production on film #2. Script's locked, we're scouting locations and putting the crew together. Casting call soon.

Having worked in entertainment for quite a while, it's a heart-breaking affair for a lot of people. Yeah, scripts and books do get optioned, but they're few and far between, relative to the number written. It doesn't hurt to dream, but hold it lightly. If you really want to get into film, do it yourself. That would've been near impossible a generation ago, but it is extremely doable nowadays.


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## Christa Wick (Nov 1, 2012)

Christopher - I replied yesterday morning on the topic but was using my traveling "mi-fi" and it done got et. Since you've brought it up, I've recreated my post because I heartily agree!

**********

Ya'll are thinking 2013, think 2016...

May I introduce you to Jason Headley? I recommend "To Say Goodbye"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfxj2i_6q_M

Maybe it's time to stop thinking options (just like it's time to stop thinking advances), and start thinking partnerships.

Write a great vivid book that lends itself well to both audio and video. Find video and audio partners. Do a kickstarter. Become the next Blair Witch (30k budget and film technology is cheaper now - see D800) project or some quiet one room drama that leaves everyone in tears. What I'm saying is, just like book readers wanted more than NY would risk in the stories it selected for publication, tv/cinema viewers want more, too. And there are so many ways to monetize film beyond getting someone to buy a copy or a ticket.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Christa Wick said:


> Christopher - I replied yesterday morning on the topic but was using my traveling "mi-fi" and it done got et. Since you've brought it up, I've recreated my post because I heartily agree!
> 
> **********
> 
> ...


Certainly this is going to be a growing form of entertainment.


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## Christa Wick (Nov 1, 2012)

I certainly think so, Lisa! I don't watch a lot of tv or movies in general anymore, sticking to a few current faves (game of thrones being my only must watch now) -- but I am noticing a lot of small productions both live action (real bodies) and animated. There is yahoo tv, amazon studio, there are series on youtube with bigger name actors/actresses, etc. Distribution is about to crack wide open for that and these people cannot buy options to make Ironman 10, etc. They need regular writers with something ready to develop. That could be anyone on kboards. 

To Hades with what Hollywood wants to make or option! Not that I would tell them to make a flying attempt at coitus with a rolling donut if Hollywood came knocking...


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## Christopher Bunn (Oct 26, 2010)

Christa Wick said:


> And there are so many ways to monetize film beyond getting someone to buy a copy or a ticket.


Exactly. This point, along with the decrease in technology cost, is what makes the DIY route possible and profitable. Video on demand, iTunes, Redbox, Youtube, television. Domestic and foreign television is an insatiable market. We've already done multiple sales here, and it's a market that can be approached again and again. Not a one-time shot.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

Christopher Bunn said:


> Exactly. This point, along with the decrease in technology cost, is what makes the DIY route possible and profitable. Video on demand, iTunes, Redbox, Youtube, television. Domestic and foreign television is an insatiable market. We've already done multiple sales here, and it's a market that can be approached again and again. Not a one-time shot.


Shoot, Samantha Fury and I are doing Indie Author Chat, http://www.IndieAuthorChat.com 15 minute tutorials on Youtube for free. Why? Video is the future. It helps us build our brands while giving us something to talk about other than our books.

Example:


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## Dan Fiorella (Oct 14, 2012)

David Stephens said:


> A friend of mine was in a meeting at one of the studios last month and got a look at next year's production slate. Every single title had a roman numeral in it.


Well, at least they're bringing back roman numerals.


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## Christa Wick (Nov 1, 2012)

Another point on this that is important to me -- I live in a state that was once the epitome of the Middle Class Dream. Start from nothing, have a house, a car, your kids in college, a pension fund for when you finally wanted to slow down a little on your blue-collar Midwest work ethic. Now it has one of the highest unemployment (if not highest) rates in the country, same for foreclosures, etc. 

But, aside from knowledge-based & financial services, there's still something that America exports more than any other country -- its culture via books and, more so, games, film & music. Broadening our base as creative entrepreneurs by branching out into film isn't enriching just our bottom line. We become a cornerstone with other creatives in rebuilding our communities and raising up other families. I know people in my RL circle are a little sick of me talking about this (and that's a big challenge - finding other competent creatives willing to take a risk), but with the distribution channels and inexpensive creation available to all creative media, America is ripe for a home grown, no help from government, economic Renaissance. We just have to open our minds to the opportunities available.


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## janelson (May 19, 2013)

Congratulations, Lisa!


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## A.A (Mar 30, 2012)

Christopher Bunn said:


> There's another option in this arena which hasn't been discussed yet. Shoot your own film.
> 
> The cost of technology has come down to everyone's level. You can purchase or rent what you need for peanuts. A good HD camera, edit on your Mac, lights, a good lens package. Write your own script .Shrug. All very doable. Put a team together, do back-end deals with your cast and crew, keep your budget under 100k, pull of a halfway decent film and you shouldn't have much of a problem doing some TV sales, direct to video, etc. Yeah, you're probably not going to get into domestic theaters, but c'est la vie. You can make a film and turn a profit.
> 
> ...


That;s fantastic, Christopher!


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

janelson said:


> Congratulations, Lisa!


Thank you!

And Christopher Bunn your movie looks like a lot of fun. You nabbed distribution? So where is it being sold, or where can we see it? I want to.


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## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

LisaGraceBooks said:


> Here's an article on Sasha Jackson's Mystery blog (run by our own Jill Edmondson):
> 
> Tips for Writing a Book that is attractive to Movie Producers
> 
> ...


Interesting topic, but nothing will ever replace one very important factor:

1) Sell a ton of copies

Without that... sort of a "built-in audience wanting to see the story on the silver screen" factor, if I may... none of the other stuff matters much to Hollywood.

And selling tons of copies isn't something one can whip up out of thin air.


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## Shane Ward (Jan 25, 2013)

+ 1


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## Christopher Bunn (Oct 26, 2010)

LisaGraceBooks said:


> And Christopher Bunn your movie looks like a lot of fun. You nabbed distribution? So where is it being sold, or where can we see it? I want to.


Thanks. Yeah, we got distribution with a very solid outfit. It'll be released in quite a few non-US countries for TV. As far as seeing it here in the States, that's scheduled for later in the year, but the date's being kept under wraps due to some kind of cross-promotion with some other bigger titles.



Anya said:


> That;s fantastic, Christopher!


Thanks, Anya. It was a fun project to work on. Very educational in terms of seeing how little people can actually pull off a viable film.


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## JeanneM (Mar 21, 2011)

Awesome, Christopher!  My friend did this. She made a movie of her thriller series about the Mayan Code.  She got the funding herself, hired the actors etc.  She put it up on Amazon instant video. She has four books in the series though and the movie doesn't cover them all yet.  I hope she does another one.  I can't imagine how brave you guys have to be to do things like this.  

I wish you the best of luck, Chris...keep us posted!


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## Nope (Jun 25, 2012)

.


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## Lisa Grace (Jul 3, 2011)

CraigInTwinCities said:


> Interesting topic, but nothing will ever replace one very important factor:
> 
> 1) Sell a ton of copies
> 
> ...


Read the blog article first. My book(s) do not sell tons of copies (yet).

Many movies are based on books that only become hits _after_ the movie is released. You're not dealing with a nameless intentity, you're dealing with producers who are real people and who get passionate about their projects. For every blockbuster, there are twenty smaller films being released.

For instance, _The Woman in Black_ which came out as a movie last year, was a hit back in 1983, but faded into memory. The book was re-written expressly because they were going to make a movie about it. They even hired a new writer.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/feb/12/the-woman-in-black-follow-up  I know of several other projects where the movie is conceived of first, then ghost writers are hard to writie the novel, with both releasing around the same time.

John Grisham's novel The Firm had a run of 5k, books, only managed to sell 2k so he bought up the other 3k, which got moldy in his trunk, so he dumped them in a landfill. However, his agent managed to option the book for film, (starring Tom Cruise) and then the book became a hit.


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