How a Book Becomes a Movie: What Authors and Screenwriters Need to Know

The filmmaking business is complex and baffles many—even those working in it. The reality is, there is no single way to get a film made. But there’s no question that Hollywood loves adapting intellectual property. The more an author understands the different adaptation paths, the better their odds of success.

One major hurdle is the overabundance of scammers looking to exploit a writer’s dream of getting their work published or produced—making them a perfect target. But the best way to protect yourself is to understand how the book-to-film process works and how to identify a scam when you see one.

As a screenwriter, Jeanne Veillette Bowerman has adapted other author’s work, including a Pulitzer Prize-winning book, and she’s also worked closely with authors, guiding them on how to navigate Hollywood. In this live webinar, she’ll dive deep into the processes to help writers come to the negotiation table well-informed

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• The common paths of book-to-film
• A checklist of pitch materials an author needs
• How to recognize a scam when you see one
• The differences between option and shopping agreements
• How book-to-film rights get sold
• How the process works if you’re self-published or unagented
• A case study and other out-of-the-box paths
• Benefits (and warning signs) of book contests
• Tips for authors and screenwriters collaborating together
• How writing partnerships work

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

• Authors who are looking to sell their book-to-film rights
• Screenwriters who want to adapt books
• Writers who want to understand the filmmaking process.
• Writers who are afraid of getting scammed
• Writers looking for resources to learn the business
• Writers wanting to maximize the success of their novels
• Writers who want to challenge themselves to write in a different medium

Instructor

Jeanne Veillette Bowerman is a Senior Executive at Pipeline Media Group and Book Pipeline, Editor-in-Chief of Pipeline Artists, co-host of the Pipeline Artists original podcast, "Reckless Creatives," former Editor-in-Chief of Script magazine and a former Senior Editor at Writer's Digest. Her Script column "Balls of Steel" was selected as recommended reading by Universal Writers Program. A compilation of her articles is now available—Balls of Steel: The Screenwriter's Mindset. She is also a partner at Fringe Press and Co-Founder and moderator of the weekly Twitter screenwriters’ chat, #Scriptchat. She wrote the narrative adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II, with its author, Douglas A. Blackmon, former senior national correspondent of The Wall Street Journal and has now ventured into writing historical fiction. Follow Jeanne on X: @jeannevb