Screenwriting : How does screen writing work? by Greg Wickherst

Most screenwriters have a long list of their own spec material to write, so yeah, if you'd like them to put their own stuff on hold, then an up-front, paid writing assignment would be in order :^}

If you want a writer to write your story for you, you'll have to pay them for it. No one's going to be interested in writing someone else's story on spec. I'm sure you have a terrific story to tell and I'm not trying to put it down but "I have an incredible true life story that everyone keeps telling me needs to be made into a movie" is an incredibly common phrase and I can't tell you how many times I've heard and seen this. My advice? Hire a ghost writer to write it as a book first, you have better odds of it being picked up by a studio once it becomes a best seller than as a spec script.

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it!

I have a number of writers in my class who have been told by others that their story needs to be turned into a movie. Here's the problem. Your story -- no matter what it is -- is not unique. Every story that can be written has been written. That doesn't mean you shouldn't write it, but you need to do some research to find out what similarities it holds with already-published works. My suggestion is always to write a true story as fiction. Very few people are interested in biographies of unknown people. Plus, it is sometimes difficult to be absolutely honest when the story is about you. Both men and women will leave out personal details that are pertinent to the story because they are embarrassing. Usually, those are the very details that need to be included. By writing fiction (based on fact), you have the freedom to tell your story without hesitation. I tell my students to write the book first. Then, adapt it to a screenplay. If doable, write the stage play as well. Just in case you really do have a great story that someone will want to make into a film, you'll already have the script in hand.