On Writing : Manuscript to Script by Sam Carbon

Hi Sam, you came to the right place and will get a lot of feedback. I converted my first book into a script and I sent it to some agents and their feedback was to focus on the core area of the story and streamline the number of characters. The script is still sitting there because than I found a book in the public domain that I thought would be a good script. I wrote the script and received similar feedback. I implemented the feedback and rewrote it through an online course - the script it posted on Stage 32 and it is called "Incidents in the life of a slave girl." My experience is that books can have unlimited characters who grow and experience life through chapters, but scripts are limited on number of characters and the story must focus on conflicts and overcoming conflicts. This is why a lot of movies do not include everything from the books. I hope this helps.

Asamaa ....you helped me.

Hi Sam, I'm right in the middle of a development like you describe. I wrote the story initially as a novel. I knew it had problems, but wasn't sure what they were. So I turned it into a script - just a straight transposition - and that was when the flaws really showed up. Scripts are wonderful for exposing problems in a story, and because they're much quicker to read it's also much easier to get feedback. I'm now redeveloping the story from scratch. Staying with the premise and key characters, but letting it develop as a long treatment. I ditched lots of things that weren't working, and I'm expanding on elements that had been shortchanged. It's coming out much, much longer, and I believe there's enough here for a TV series - which I find very exciting and motivating. So my advice in a nutshell is to be very open-minded. Don't assume that 'converting the book into a script' is necessarily about a conversion. The original book may not be the best way to tell the story. It's an opportunity for a substantial rewrite and improvement.

John - very good post and advise. TV series is also a good option.

Kapow! Adaptions are incredibly challenging. Here's a few ideas...

https://www.ghostwords.com/adapting-a-book-into-a-screenplay/

screenwriters for hire will turn your manuscript or published book into a screenplay for a fee. But then it is still up to you to pedal it. If you can pitch the concept and you own the IP, the copyright, then the producers will have say in the direction of the script.

I paid to have a screenwriter adapt one of my published novels to a screenplay. They did a good job, and quickly, but the screenplay was moved into a different genre than the novel. great work, but I was left to do the pitching. But the concept I want to pitch is my original one.

I am following this thread - thanks for posting!

Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences. I will be opened minded with next steps. I have learnt so much from this single post. Will keep you all posted.

I highly recommend Micky Levy's Stage 32 webinar on adapting books into screenplays - its great - here's a link so you can check it out: https://www.stage32.com/webinars/The-Adaptation-Journey-Adapting-an-exis...

Thank you Sam

Hi Sam Carbon! Definitley recommend looking into Adaptation Reviews!!>>>https://www.stage32.com/scriptservices/coverage/buy?id=66

One of the best moves you can make is to go back through your manuscript and decide on what you're dead set on keeping vs. what you're willing to leave out. This is mentally and emotionally taxing when it's your own work you're adapting! Translating a manuscript into a script is "show don't tell" on steroids, so you want to hone in on visual cues.

I would also recommend outlining the script based on the character arc, not on the chapters structure of the book. You'll often find the character arc moves at a different pace, so making it central makes more sense for a script. This will also allow you to see which parts you can combine or skip altogether because the character arc remains intact.