The journey from watching a movie to writing its novelization begins with understanding that it’s not merely transcribing dialogue. Instead, it’s about expanding the cinematic experience, delving deeper into character motivations, internal monologues, and world-building nuances that the screen, limited by time and visual constraints, often omits.
Understanding the Landscape of Movie Novelizations
Movie novelizations, often dismissed as mere tie-in merchandise, can be a rewarding creative endeavor and a valuable source of income. They allow you to reimagine beloved stories, offering readers a more intimate and layered understanding of the characters and plot. The key is to treat the movie as a blueprint, not a rigid script. Your job is to translate the visual narrative into a literary one, enriching the reader’s experience with your own creative voice.
The Art of Adaptation: More Than Just Dialogue
Think of yourself as a translator, but instead of translating languages, you’re translating mediums. You’re taking a primarily visual and auditory experience and converting it into a textual one. This means paying close attention to:
- Pacing: Movies are inherently faster-paced than novels. You’ll need to find ways to slow down the narrative, adding depth and detail without losing the momentum of the original story.
- Character Development: The beauty of a novel lies in its ability to explore the inner lives of characters. Use internal monologues, flashbacks, and descriptive prose to reveal their thoughts, feelings, and motivations.
- World-Building: Movies often rely on visual cues to establish the setting. In a novelization, you’ll need to paint a vivid picture with words, bringing the world of the movie to life for the reader.
- Show, Don’t Tell (but also, Tell): While visual mediums excel at “showing,” novels provide the opportunity to “tell” what characters are thinking or feeling, adding another layer of understanding. Find the balance.
The Initial Steps: Laying the Foundation
Before you start writing, you need to immerse yourself in the source material and obtain the necessary permissions.
Immersing Yourself in the Movie
- Watch (and re-watch) the movie: This seems obvious, but you need to watch the movie multiple times, paying close attention to the nuances of the plot, character interactions, and visual cues.
- Read the screenplay (if available): A screenplay offers valuable insights into the filmmakers’ intentions and can provide additional details that didn’t make it into the final cut.
- Take detailed notes: Jot down everything that strikes you as important – character descriptions, plot points, themes, symbolism, and any questions that arise.
- Understand the tone and style: Is it a serious drama, a lighthearted comedy, or a thrilling action adventure? Your writing style should reflect the tone of the movie.
Securing the Rights: A Crucial Step
While writing a novelization of a movie purely for practice is acceptable, publishing it without permission is illegal. You must obtain the literary rights from the copyright holder, which is typically the movie studio or production company. This usually involves contacting their legal department and negotiating a contract. Be prepared for a potentially lengthy and complex process. Without the proper rights, your work, no matter how brilliant, cannot be legally published or sold.
Crafting Your Narrative: From Scene to Chapter
Once you have a solid understanding of the movie and the necessary rights, it’s time to start writing.
Outlining Your Novel: A Roadmap to Success
An outline is your roadmap. It helps you structure your story and ensure that you stay on track. You can use a scene-by-scene outline, or you can create a more detailed chapter-by-chapter outline that includes summaries of each scene, character motivations, and key plot points.
- Adapt the screenplay’s structure: The screenplay provides a solid structural foundation, but feel free to reorganize scenes or add new ones to enhance the narrative flow.
- Expand on key scenes: Identify scenes that offer opportunities for deeper character development or world-building and expand on them accordingly.
- Consider adding flashbacks or flashforwards: These can be effective ways to reveal character backstories or foreshadow future events.
Writing the First Draft: Embracing the Process
Don’t strive for perfection in the first draft. Focus on getting the story down on paper (or screen). Let your creativity flow and don’t get bogged down in editing. Remember, you can always revise and refine later.
- Embrace the freedom of prose: Use descriptive language to bring the movie’s visuals to life.
- Explore character thoughts and feelings: Delve into their internal monologues to reveal their motivations and emotions.
- Don’t be afraid to deviate from the movie (within reason): Add new scenes, characters, or subplots to enhance the story, but always stay true to the core themes and message of the original film.
- Write every day: Set a daily word count goal and stick to it. Consistency is key to completing your novel.
Polishing Your Work: Editing and Refining
Once you’ve finished the first draft, it’s time to put on your editor’s hat.
Self-Editing: A Critical Eye
Read your manuscript carefully, paying attention to grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. Look for areas where you can improve the clarity and flow of your writing.
- Read your work aloud: This can help you identify awkward phrasing or sentences that don’t flow well.
- Take breaks: Step away from your manuscript for a few days or weeks before editing to give yourself a fresh perspective.
- Use editing software: Tools like Grammarly or ProWritingAid can help you catch errors that you might have missed.
Seeking Feedback: The Value of Outside Perspectives
Share your manuscript with trusted beta readers who can provide honest and constructive feedback. Choose readers who are familiar with the genre and who have a good understanding of storytelling.
- Be open to criticism: Don’t take feedback personally. Use it as an opportunity to improve your work.
- Ask specific questions: This will help your beta readers focus their feedback on the areas that are most important to you.
- Consider hiring a professional editor: A professional editor can provide a more objective and thorough critique of your manuscript.
FAQs: Deepening Your Understanding
Here are some frequently asked questions about writing movie novelizations:
FAQ 1: Do I need to be a professional writer to write a movie novelization?
Not necessarily. While professional experience is helpful, passion, dedication, and a strong understanding of storytelling are more important. However, the ability to write well and meet deadlines is essential.
FAQ 2: How long does it take to write a movie novelization?
The timeframe varies depending on the length and complexity of the movie, as well as your writing speed and experience. A typical novelization can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months to complete.
FAQ 3: What are the average earnings for a movie novelization?
Earnings vary widely depending on the publisher, the popularity of the movie, and your experience as a writer. Advances can range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands. Royalties are usually a percentage of the book’s sales price. The film’s commercial success will also dictate the novelization’s appeal and marketability.
FAQ 4: What’s the difference between a novelization and a fan fiction?
A novelization is an officially authorized adaptation of a movie, whereas fan fiction is unauthorized and often explores alternate storylines or character relationships. The key difference is permission and legality.
FAQ 5: How closely should I stick to the movie’s plot?
While you should generally adhere to the main plot points, you have some creative license to add details, explore character motivations, and expand on the world-building. The goal is to enhance, not rewrite, the original story.
FAQ 6: What if I disagree with the movie’s ending?
You generally cannot change the ending in a novelization. Your job is to adapt the existing story, not create a new one. Significant deviations are rare and usually require specific approval.
FAQ 7: Should I write in first person or third person?
The choice is yours, but third person is more common for movie novelizations, as it allows you to explore multiple characters’ perspectives. Consider which perspective best serves the story’s narrative.
FAQ 8: How do I handle flashbacks and internal monologues?
Use clear transitions to signal flashbacks, and use italics or a different font for internal monologues to distinguish them from the main narrative. These tools are crucial for reader comprehension.
FAQ 9: What if the movie is based on a book?
In that case, it’s helpful to read the original book as well. This can provide additional context and insights into the characters and plot. Consider both the book and the movie as source material.
FAQ 10: How do I market my movie novelization?
Work with your publisher to create a marketing plan that includes social media promotion, book signings, and media outreach. Leverage the movie’s existing fanbase to generate interest.
FAQ 11: What are the most common mistakes in movie novelizations?
Common mistakes include overly relying on dialogue from the movie, failing to develop the characters’ inner lives, and not creating a compelling narrative flow. Avoid passive adaptation and strive for creative enhancement.
FAQ 12: Is writing a movie novelization a good way to break into the publishing industry?
It can be a good starting point, especially if you’re looking to build your writing portfolio and gain experience with adaptation. Success in novelization can open doors to other writing opportunities.