Last month I was a guest at a book club where my second novel, Blindspot, was the selection of the month. It’s the story of an ambitious district attorney who hunts down the stalker harassing her and her teenage daughter, then finds herself arrested for murder when he turns up dead. Turns out, she’s got a powerful enemy who wants revenge and will stop at nothing to see our protagonist punished, including being sent to prison for a crime she didn’t commit. Several women in the group remarked how it would make a terrific NetFlix series, along the lines of Black Doves or Harlan Coben’s Stay Close, which sent me down a rabbit hole of research these last few weeks.
If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of seeing your novel up on the big screen or streaming on one of the paid channels, let’s take a look at things to keep in mind.
You need to understand how the medium is different
Adapting a novel to a screenplay requires understanding the unique demands of film vs. the written page. In novels, we spend a lot of time on interior monologues. In fact, leaving these out can lead to negative reviews (“I could never get inside the hero’s head”). But in screenplays, the only way (other than clunky voiceovers) to convey what a character is thinking or feeling, is through either dialogue or physical actions. This difference involves changing your thinking about how to convey this information. You can’t have your POV character remembering their mother’s love; instead you’ll need to think visually, perhaps having her open up a music box with an inscription inside.
You need to concentrate on the core story
Movies and TV scripts operate within strict time constraints. For a movie, you have no more than 120 pages, much of which is taken up with stage directions; with long-form drama, 50-60 pages constitutes an hour of playing time and series are generally limited to six episodes. So you need to distill your novel’s core narrative and ignore sub-plots that may not be necessary, focusing instead on the central conflict and key character arcs. For example, when adapting The Lord of the Rings, the filmmakers condensed multiple subplots, instead emphasizing Frodo’s journey to destroy the ring. Decide what’s indispensable to your story and let go of elements that don’t serve the primary narrative.
You may need to reimagine or even eliminate characters
Script writers often streamline or reinterpret characters for greater clarity, or even merge, minimize, or eliminate secondary characters altogether. Look for ways to pare down your ‘cast’; every speaking part is another salary to pay. Can you combine two antagonists into one, have two daughters instead of three, merge a mentor and a best friend into one wise boss?
Think in terms of visually driven scenes
Film and TV are all about showing rather than telling. Replace long expository passages with dynamic visuals and actions. For example, in the adaptation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, instead of narrating Harry’s first impressions of Hogwarts, the filmmakers used sweeping shots of the castle and its magical details. Write scenes that invite directors and cinematographers to bring your world to life. Think of changing locales to add spice and interest—could that romantic scene take place in a buzzy nightclub instead of a daytime diner? Mix up the weather, the seasons. In my novel, a new best friend lives in a sleek, ultra-modern cube-like house, dovetailing with her occupation as a sculptor.
Examine your pacing and adapt it for a screen format
Screenplays demand tighter pacing than novels, with clearly defined acts and climactic moments. A feature film typically follows a three-act structure, while streaming episodes may need cliffhangers at the end of each hour episode. Take your novel and dissect its natural breaks to see if the story lends itself to a film medium. For instance, in the adaptation of The Martian, the novel’s detailed problem-solving sequences were condensed into concise, high-stakes moments to maintain momentum on screen. Consider where to heighten tension and where to give the audience moments to breathe.
Learn the industry formats and rules and read other scripts
Screenplays have strict formatting guidelines, typically written in a standardized format (e.g., Courier font, 12 pt). The structure is lean, with minimal descriptions and precise dialogue. Most experts agree you should invest in screenwriting software like Final Draft to guide you and ensure your script adheres to industry standards. A good way to train yourself by osmosis is to read other scripts. Many well-known movies are available to read for free online, including at The Internet Movie Script Database and TV Writing. A fun homework assignment can be to pull up a favorite movie you can view for free on a streaming service, find its script online and watch while you follow along, observing how the director and writer chose to represent a scene visually.
Once you’ve got a rough screenplay draft, just like with a novel, you should reach out to professional consultants to get eyes on your script and work to improve it. And once your final attempt is ready, you’re ready to start the marketing process which resembles finding a publisher for a novel and merits its own blog post.
By understanding the differences between novels and screenplays, focusing on your core narrative, and crafting visually engaging, tightly paced scenes, you can create a script that captivates both filmmakers and audiences. Remember, the goal isn’t to replicate your novel word for word. The transition from page to screen is not just an adaptation but a transformation, offering a new lens through which your story can be experienced by a broader audience.
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