Admin

The Hollywood Career Coach - READER Q: How Can I Monetize My Unpublished Novels?

November 23, 2009

A FILM INDUSTRY BLOG READER asks:

“Hi David,
I have written about 5 novels that needs publication but I can’t have the money to work on the publishing, can I sell the story for some money to assist in my publication.”

RESPONSE: Hi Nana, thanks for your question.

Unfortunately it’s rarely a good time for unpublished writer to get money upfront for the rights to your work.

What I would suggest are these steps:

1) Write a one or two paragraph synopsis or summary of your 5 novels and then see if you can get some feedback on which one people think is the most commercial.

2) Once you determine which one sounds most interesting to the most people write a one or two page treatment/summary of that one and use that as the foundation for a book proposal that can then be submitted to potential publishers. (Or producers if you’re interested in turning it into a film or screenplay.)

It may be that your idea is so unique and amazing that it will attract a bidding war and big advance which of course would be great.

But one of the things new writers experience (especially if you’re sitting on 5 unpublished novels) is lack of professional feedback on your work. Sometimes when we’re busy writing and living our lives we lose touch with what’s happening in the marketplace. That can be good for the creative process but it’s important to get some professional feedback on our ideas and writing periodically.

Having your short pitches available for your 5 projects will help you get outside feedback without requiring people to read the whole thing. If people like the pitch, then they may request a chapter or so to read, and if they like that they may request the whole manuscript.

But bottom line, lets get you some feedback to see how your work fits into the market.

Hope that helps. And thanks for your Question!